On Tuesday, Germany put Luxembourg on its list of countries considered “at-risk areas” for Covid-19 infections.
The German Robert Koch Institut cautioned against unnecessary travel to Luxembourg. The federal governments of Saarland and Rhineland-Palatinate quickly followed up on the national recommendations on Tuesday evening.
It transpires that travel restrictions apply in most German states. Travelers arriving from Luxembourg must quarantine for 14 days and inform the local health authorities. According to officials, the situation largely depends on the virus developments in Luxembourg in the coming days.
Exceptions apply to cross-border workers, or those visiting Luxembourg for medical reasons or other reasons deemed "important". Those carrying a negative Covid-19 test not older than 48 hours are also exempt from these new regulations. You can also still enter Germany without restrictions if your partner lives there or if you share the custody of a child with a German resident. Students, trainees, and apprentices can also still enter Germany without being required to self-isolate upon arrival.
People living in Rhineland-Palatinate/Rheinland-Pfalz and whose visit to the Grand-Duchy did/does not exceed 72 hours are not required to go into quarantine when they come back from Luxembourg.
It is still possible for Luxembourg residents to transit through Germany to reach other countries. Travelers can stop to use the bathroom or to fill up their car. It is also still possible to transit through Germany by bus and train, and to driver to German airports to fly to other countries.
The federal government of Saarland is advising cross-border workers to regularly get themselves tested for Covid-19. The government spokesperson also pointed out that Luxembourg is offering free tests to cross-border workers. This way a possible quarantine could be avoided. The federal governments of both Saarland and Rhineland-Palatinate/Rheinland-Pfalz are also still opposed to return to border controls with Luxembourg.
When contacted by RTL, the state chancellery of Rhineland-Palatinate reiterated this Wednesday morning that Luxembourg now counts as a high-risk zone, and that the official regulations for risk areas apply. As a result, Luxembourg residents face the same restrictions than people from the Gütersloh district. This district was also declared a risk zone after a massive virus outbreak at a Tönnies slaughterhouse. The chancellery again stressed that Luxembourg residents arriving in Germany must self-isolate and inform local health authorities (see above for exceptions). People found to disregard Germany's quarantine rule risk fines of up to €25,000.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Jean Asselborn, advised Luxembourgers to only travel to Germany when it is absolutely necessary.
