Quarantine regulations, entry from risk areas and more
To break the wave of infection we will have to drastically reduce our contacts. This includes doing without unnecessary private travel and visits. Accommodation facilities in Germany are therefore only available for necessary and expressly non-tourist purposes.
Anyone in the following situations must go into quarantine:
- Persons who have had a Category 1 contact with a person who tested positive (14 days quarantine from date of encounter)
- Persons who are themselves infected with corona (14 days from date of test)
- Persons who enter the Federal Republic of Germany from a foreign risk area, unless an exception regulated in the Ordinance applies. (As a rule, 10 days quarantine - except for entry from virus variant area or high incidence area: 14 days quarantine)
In Rhineland-Palatinate, a quarantine obligation applies to all those entering from risk areas abroad. Persons entering Rhineland-Palatinate from a risk area are obliged to enter a 10-day quarantine immediately after entry, to report to the responsible health authority and to provide information on possible symptoms and a test.
From 11 January 2021 onwards people entering the country from risk areas are also required to be tested for Corona infection no more than 48 hours before or immediately after entering the country. The quarantine obligation does not apply to persons in transit amongst others. There are also other exceptions, for example in the case of care for relatives or shared custody (see FAQs below).
No restrictions apply to travel within Germany. Travelers coming to Rhineland-Palatinate from risk areas within Germany do not have to enter quarantine. Regulations for those entering from abroad are different.
What special regulations apply if I have been diagnosed as infected with the virus mutation?
In principle, persons tested positive without typical symptoms can stop isolating 14 days after the positive PCR test was carried out. However, if infection with a viral mutation has been verified, symptom-free persons must have another PCR test performed at the earliest on the eleventh day of isolation. If this is negative they can stop isolating 14 days after the first PCR test was carried out. If on the other hand this second PCR test is positive they have to go into isolation for a further seven days. These seven days begin when the second test is taken, but not before the 15th day of isolation. A further test after the seven days is then no longer necessary for isolation to be completed.
In principle, persons tested positive with typical symptoms may stop isolating at the earliest 14 days after the positive PCR test if they have been continuously symptom-free for at least 48 hours immediately prior to the end of isolation. However, if infection with a viral mutation has been verified another PCR test must be performed on the first symptom-free day and at the earliest from the eleventh day of isolation. If this second PCR test is negative, they may stop the isolating 14 days after the first PCR test has been carried out. If the second PCR test is positive, they must remain in isolation for a further seven days. These seven days begin when the second test is taken, but not before the 15th day of isolation. A further test is then no longer necessary.
Everyone is responsible for complying with the quarantine obligation themselves. They will be monitored by the health authorities during their quarantine. Infringements of this rule are subject to a fine.
In addition to detailed information on the quarantine rules, you will also find further answers to questions on testing for entry and the general testing strategy further down this page.