BERLIN (AP) – Germany on Sunday implemented strict border controls on its borders with the Czech Republic and the Australian province of Tyrol in an effort to curb the spread of more contagious coronavirus variants.
The new restrictions that came into force at midnight limit the entry of these areas to German citizens and residents, truck drivers, transport and health workers and some others, who must register online and show proof. of coronavirus negative.
The German government warned that some border delays were possible, but police said there were no major cuts on Sunday morning.
Infection rates in Germany have been steadily declining in recent weeks, but officials are concerned about the possible impact of variants first discovered in Britain and South Africa. Both variants have been reported in Germany, but so far seem to represent only a small proportion of cases.
A significant number of cases of the latter have been discovered in Tyrol, whose residents have needed to show a recent negative coronavirus test to travel to the rest of Austria from Friday. The spread of the British variant has led to a complete closure of some Czech districts on the border with Germany and Poland.
Bavarian Governor Markus Soeder, who spoke in Schirnding on the Czech border, said that “not taking the mutations (viruses) seriously would mean important consequences.”
Soeder, whose state contains half of the German-Czech border and the entire German-Austrian border, noted that the districts on the Czech border have particularly high infection rates.
“Furthermore, there is concern at the moment with our Czech partners that it is not clear what will happen to their management of the crown,” said Soeder, who noted the Czech parliament’s refusal to extend the state of emergency. . “We are friends, we help; we gladly welcome Czech patients if you will, but of course, if there have been no measures across the border, that means a significant danger. “
It was not immediately known which cross-border travelers will be able to enter Germany. Federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said those working in “systemically relevant sectors” will be allowed to cross over and authorities will be “pragmatic whenever possible.”
Seehofer has abruptly rejected criticism from the European Union over border controls, and Soeder echoed it. “Brussels can make an important contribution” to advancing the vaccination campaign, he said, but German police will do their job at the border.
On Sunday morning, federal police said 288 of the 717 people checked on the Bavarian-Czech border turned back because they had no right to cross, along with 247 of more than 1,000 checked on the border with Tyrol.
Chancellor Angela Merkel and the 16 German state governors agreed on Wednesday to extend most closure restrictions until March 7, although schools and hairdressers may open earlier.
A new target of 35 new cases per 100,000 inhabitants was set per week before allowing small shops, museums and other businesses to reopen. This figure stood at 57.4 on Sunday, compared to almost 200 just before Christmas.
The state of the governor of Saxony warned the Germans not to wait too long.
“Unfortunately, there can be no Easter holidays in Germany this year,” Michael Kretschmer told Bild am Sonntag. “Excessive mobility as a result of travel and tourism in April would be poison. We would destroy everything we have achieved since mid-December. “
Hotels and restaurants in Saxony, which contain the rest of Germany’s borders with the Czech Republic and were very successful in the autumn and winter, will have to remain closed during Easter and the reopening of theaters and operas. will have to wait until after Easter, He said.
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