Germany is set to ban Brits amid Covid variant spread - what you need to know

Germany is set to ban Brits from entering the country after its Public Health Institute designated the UK as a virus variant area of concern.

From midnight on Sunday 23 May, people going to Germany from England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland will only be allowed to enter if they are a German citizen or resident.

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Spouses and children under 18 of a German citizen or resident are also permitted to enter - as long as the household is travelling together. 

Those with an urgent humanitarian reason such as an immediate family bereavement are also able to enter.

However, anyone travelling to the country from the UK must quarantine for 14 days on arrival, even if they test negative for Covid.

People who are only transferring from one flight to another will still be allowed in, but they must remain in the airport transit area.

Germany remains on UK Government’s amber list

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According to guidance from German authorities, a virus variant region is "at particularly high risk of infection due to widespread occurrence of SARS-CoV-2 virus variants of concern".

The Indian variant of Covid has been spreading in the UK, with more than 3,400 cases found so far. 

It comes after Spain lifted travel restrictions on British visitors, with the country’s prime minister Pedro Sanchez saying Spain will be “delighted, extremely delighted” to receive British tourists again.

Spain is lifting its restrictions on travellers from the United Kingdom beginning on Monday (24 May).

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Germany and Spain are both on the government’s amber list, meaning travellers must quarantine at home for 10 days and take a pre-departure test and two post-arrival tests.

Speaking about the latest quarantine rules, a German government source told Reuters news agency: "We want to play it safe.

"In this important phase of the vaccination campaign, the entry of problematic mutations must be avoided as far as possible."

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