Germany to Lift Travel Ban for 5 Delta Variant-Hit Countries, Including India

Germany said the 5 countries would be listed as "high-incidence areas" from 7 July.

The Union Health Ministry on Tuesday noted that India has recorded 22 cases of the Delta Plus variant – which is presently classified as a ‘variant of concern.’ Photo used for representational purposes. 

(Photo: FIT)

Germany on Tuesday, 6 July, announced that it had decided to remove the travel ban for visitors to the country from the five nations, including India, where the Delta variant of COVID-19 is currently prevalent.

The order will come into effect from Wednesday, 7 July.

"From tomorrow on GER is removing the entry ban and easing travel rules for 5 countries where the Delta variant is widespread, including IND! (sic)" German Ambassador to India Walter J Lindner stated in a tweet.

The five countries, for which the travel restrictions have been relaxed, are India, the UK, Russia, Nepal and Portugal.

Germany's public health agency, the Robert Koch Institute, said that the five countries where the Delta variant of the coronavirus is widespread, would be listed as "high-incidence areas" from 7 July, Wednesday, news agency ANI reported.

Green Pass: 10 European Countries Approve Covishield for Travel

Amid row over the European Medicines Agency's (EMA) not granting a 'Green Pass' to travellers from India who have been fully vaccinated with Covishield, 10 European countries, including Germany, had reportedly confirmed accepting travellers administered with the Oxford-Astrazeneca vaccine being manufactured by the Serum Institute of India.

"Versions of EU-approved vaccines permitted abroad are equivalent to the mentioned EU-approved vaccines for proof of vaccination protection," a German Embassy spokesperson had told ANI.

The other countries, which will be accepting Covishield-vaccinated travellers are Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia, Estonia, Greece, Iceland, Ireland and Spain.

(With inputs from ANI)