Germany to relax COVID-19 travel restrictions although daily cases remain high

BERLIN - Germany will relax its COVID-19 travel restrictions during the summer months, so that proof of vaccination, recovery or a negative test result (cumulatively known as the 3G rule) will no longer be required upon entering the country.

Germany has therefore joined the last countries in the European Union (EU) to ease their rules for travelers from the other EU member states or Schengen-associated countries. Most COVID-19 restrictions in Germany were dropped in April.

"Until the end of August, we will suspend the 3G rule on entry," German Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach told Funke Mediengruppe on Wednesday.

Tougher rules continue to apply to travelers arriving from countries designated as "high-risk" or "virus variant". However, no country is currently designated as a virus variant area, according to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases.

Following the Omicron wave that saw daily COVID-19 infections peak at close to 240,000, figures have declined continuously in the country.

On Wednesday, 49,141 new daily cases were recorded, compared to one week ago when the figure stood at 72,051, according to the RKI.

The country announced last week that it would invest 830 million euros (888 million US dollars) in the procurement of a new COVID-19 vaccine that protects against different variants of the virus.

"We have to be prepared for all eventualities," Lauterbach said.