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UPDATED: Germany set to extend border closure with Tyrol until March

The Local Austria
The Local Austria - [email protected]
UPDATED: Germany set to extend border closure with Tyrol until March
A normally-bustling road near the German-Austrian border. Photo: Christof STACHE / AFP

Germany is set to extend its closure of the Tyrol-Germany border until the third of March.

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German Health Minister Jens Spahn has sought “quick approval” from cabinet for his plan to extend the closure of the country’s southern border with the state of Tyrol. 

Germany's DPA news agency reported on Wednesday that the closure of the border would be extended until March 3rd. 

The closures were originally set to run until February 21st.

Germany partially closed its borders with the Czech Republic and Austria's Tyrol on Sunday, February 14th, over a surge in coronavirus mutations. 

Only Germans or non-German residents are allowed to enter Germany under the rules. 

Austrians from other parts of the country will still be allowed to enter Germany, however they may be subject to quarantine and testing requirements. 

Under Germany's complex entry rules, there are strict limitations from entering from 'virus variant areas' - including Tyrol - while more relaxed rules apply for 'virus risk areas', which includes the rest of Austria. 

More information is available at the following link. 

Austria: What are the rules for crossing into Germany? 

A thousand police officers have been mobilised to ensure strict border checks. 

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According to Germany’s Spiegel media outlet, Spahn considers the extension “necessary” to prevent further spread of mutated forms of coronavirus

In a copy of the brief submitted to cabinet, Spahn said the "the hard-won progress of the last few weeks" should not be threatened by "an unchecked spread of virus variants in Germany". 

According to Spahn, a "limitation of the entry by travel movements from virus variant areas is necessary".

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