Understanding the policies and regulations

52nd Fighter Wing leadership has made it possible for travel decisions to be made at the unit level. Before you leave, make sure you're clear on your unit commander's policy.

Each country, state, and municipality has their own regulations regarding COVID-19. It will be your responsibility to look up any travel restrictions for both your departure point and your destination. Continue to monitor official sites, coronavirus is a rapidly changing situation and travel regulations can change overnight.

https://reopen.europa.eu/en and the Robert Koch Institut's Country List.

Are tools providing an overview of the health situation in countries, based on data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and RKI. The information is updated frequently and available in multiple languages.

These sites enable you to follow the evolution of the coronavirus situation in your country and beyond. Re-open EU also provides information on the various travel restrictions and requirements for travelers. 

Note:

• The foreign ministry of the country you wish to travel to, will always have the most up to date information.

Once you've looked up applicable regulations, you'll need to gather any required documents. Some required documents for travel include, but are not limited to:

• PCS orders 
• leave orders
• personal passport,
• COVID-19 vaccination record
• A current coronavirus PCR test.

CDC recommends delaying travel until you are able to get fully vaccinated. If you are traveling with children who cannot get vaccinated at this time, follow recommendations for unvaccinated people and choose the safer travel options described below. 

Check CDC’s Domestic Travel or International Travel pages for the latest recommendations for vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers.

If unvaccinated,

• Wear a mask over your nose and mouth in public. Wearing a mask over your nose and mouth is required on planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation traveling into, within, or out of the United States and in U.S. transportation hubs such as airports and stations whether you are vaccinated of not.
• Avoid crowds and stay at least 6 feet/2 meters (about 2 arm lengths) from anyone who is not traveling with you.
• Wash hands often or use hand sanitizer (with at least 60%) alcohol.

When returning to Germany you'll need to register on the Federal Republic of Germany travel portal and follow both 52 Fighter Wing and German Quarantine protocols.

For more on quarantine check out our quarantine page.

Regulations for persons entering Germany in connection with coronavirus SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19

• Before entering the country, you are required to register on the travel portal of the Federal Republic of Germany and carry the confirmation with you, for inspection by the carrier or on entry by the Federal Police.
• If you are entering the Federal Republic of Germany and have spent time in a risk area within the 10 days prior to entry, you are required to proceed directly to your own home, or other suitable accommodation, immediately upon arrival and remain exclusively at this location for a period of 10 days after your entry into the country (quarantine). If you transmit proof of a complete vaccination against COVID-19, proof of recovery from the disease or a negative test result via the Federal Republic of Germany’s travel portal under https://www.einreiseanmeldung.de , your quarantine ends prematurely. If you have spent time in a high-incidence area prior to entry, the relevant test may not be conducted earlier than five days after entry. If you have spent time in an area of variants of concern, quarantine lasts for a period of 14 days and cannot be ended prematurely. You must bear the cost of being quarantined yourself. Violations can be punished as an administrative offence with a fine of up to 25,000 euros.
• A list of risk areas, including high-incidence areas and areas of variants of concern, can be found here.
• Should you, for want of the necessary technical equipment, or because of a technical malfunction, be unable to conduct a digital registration on entry, you will be required to fill out a substitute registration. If neither the carrier, nor the Federal Police ask you to present the substitute registration, you must conduct the digital entry registration within 24 hours after entry or submit the substitute registration immediately by post to Deutsche Post E-POST Solutions GmbH, Aussteigekarte, 69990 Mannheim.
• If you have spent time within the 10 days prior to entering the Federal Republic of Germany o in an area of variants of concern, you must be in possession of a test certificate (antigen test: max. 24 hour, PCR test: max. 72 hours old on entry).
  • If you are entering with a carrier, you must present your test certificate to the carrier before departure.
    • In a high-incidence area, you must be in possession of a test certificate (antigen test: max. 48 hour, PCR test: max. 72 hours old on entry, proof of recovery from COVID-19 or proof of vaccination. If you are entering with a carrier, you must present the relevant certificate to the carrier before departure.
    • in a risk area that is neither a high-incidence area nor an area of variants of concern, you must be in possession of a test certificate, proof of recovery from COVID-19 or a vaccination certificate, at the latest 48 hours after entry, and must transmit this via the Federal Republic of Germany’s travel portal
• Airline passengers entering the country by plane are to observe the basic obligation to furnish proof of testing, recovery or vaccination before departure, irrespective of whether or not they have spent time in a risk area.
• Please contact your competent health office (https://tools.rki.de/plztool/) or your doctor without delay should symptoms typical of an infection with the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus (difficulties breathing, newly developed cough, fever or loss of smell or taste) emerge within 10 days of entry into the country.