Kirsty Mckenzie
THE German authorities have added Catalunya and Cantabria to their list of risk areas for coronavirus.
According to the Robert Koch Institute, the government agency responsible for controlling infectious diseases, Catalunya and Cantabria are now classified as ‘zones of basic risk’.
The two Spanish regions are joined by Cyprus and the Norwegian counties of Agder and Rogaland on the list.
All of them have been labelled as ‘basic risk areas’ and Germans have been advised not to travel there.
Andalucia, Navarra, the Basque Country, La Rioja and Ceuta have been on the ‘basic risk zone’ for weeks.
But the weekly update of the German government’s list of risk areas has minor repurcussions for German travellers – those returning from risk list destinations will have to present a negative test result, or an EU COVID passport proving their vaccination.
However, inclusion on the list does indicate that the German government advises against travelling to these areas.
It comes as the EU COVID-19 travel certificate officially came into force across the European Union on July 1.
The so-called ‘digital green certificate’ was formally approved by the 27 EU member states on May 20.
Some of Spain’s regions began to offer downloads of the document from early June, but the start dates have varied across the country.
The certificate’s aim is to allow free movement across EU countries.
It displays the vaccination record of the traveller, or proof that they have a recent negative PCR test or that they have recently ‘recovered’ from the coronavirus.
Figures obtained by the Efe news agency show that Catalunya has the highest amount of certificates issued at 681,600 followed by Andalucia on 462,394.
Numbers have not been made available for the Valencian Community while the Madrid region will begin issuing certificates from Thursday.
The Balearic Islands have already started to accept the document from travellers entering the area.
The certificate is available as a download from regional health department websites by inputting SIP health card details and using a passcode sent to mobile phones.
The document with a QR code can be printed off or stored on a phone.
More information on COVID Safety measures and entry requirements is available on the UK Government travel website, Spanish Government travel website and the official Spanish Tourism website. For information regarding the current coronavirus situation in Spain the UK Government gives advice here.
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