Brussels/Berlin, Jan. 28, (dpa/GNA) – Germany is preparing to seal off its frontiers to curb fast-spreading new coronavirus mutations, with the federal government due to settle on a plan by Friday, Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said.
Germany is concentrating on areas where mutations are prevalent, such as Brazil, Britain, Portugal and South Africa, the minister told reporters at the start of a Thursday videoconference with his EU counterparts.
Discussions on what exceptions could be allowed are ongoing, Seehofer added.
“I don’t want to speculate on that now,” the conservative politician said, stressing that this was about containing and preventing the entry of a highly infectious virus into the country.
Berlin won’t wait for a joint EU initiative on borders, he said, because there is no indication one will come in a time frame acceptable for his country.
EU leaders agreed in principle last week to put major restrictions on travels into, but also within, the bloc.
The European Commission then proposed stricter testing and quarantine rules for countries and regions with particularly high infection rates. It is now up to EU capitals to choose how to implement them.
In Germany, stricter entry rules have been in force for more than 20 countries since Sunday. Other EU states, such as Belgium, have also already tightened rules.
GNA