Germany is tightening restrictions on travel from the UK in an attempt to curb the spread of the Omicron COVID-19 variant, the country’s public health authority has said.
From midnight on Sunday—or 11pm UK time—carriers such as airlines are banned from transporting British tourists to Germany.
Only German citizens and residents, their partners and children, and transit passengers will be allowed to travel to the country from the UK.
Anyone entering Germany from Britain will need a negative PCR test and is required to quarantine for 14 days, regardless of vaccination status.
The Robert-Koch-Institut announced the new rules on Saturday as it classified the UK as a virus variant area of concern, the highest COVID-19 risk level.
It said the restrictions could last until at least Jan. 3.
France has imposed similar restrictions, which came into force at 11 p.m. on Friday.
A rush of passengers travelling to France to beat the country’s ban on UK tourists led to a knock-on effect on freight traffic, resulting in long queues of lorries.
There were lengthy tailbacks on the M20 motorway in Kent heading to Dover and at the entrance to the Channel Tunnel on Saturday.
Under the new rules brought in due to the spread of the Omicron variant, UK citizens now need a “compelling reason” to enter France, with trips for tourism or business banned.
Hauliers, transport workers, and French nationals are exempt from the new rules.
