Germany moves to Level 4 for US citizens - very high risk

[notamermaid]

Additional tests necessary for you to take

 

Rhineland-Palatinate has new regulations from tomorrow: 2Gplus

 

This means: in restaurants and hotels fully vaccinated/recovered and a test are required, exempt from a test are those with a triply vaccine (booster).

 

Your cruise line can look up a testing center for you or you can just try at a pharmacy.

 

There are more regulations but those are not so relevant for tourists.

 

The rule for 2G in shops has been highly criticized as too much, not doable for many shops, i.e. too little personnel, and causing friction between owner and customer. Remember this rule means noone who has not been fully vaccinated (children exempted) can enter a shop that has not been deemed essential. A real problem for many teenagers and other people who for which ever reason have only had one jab. It is also known that infections in shops are low and do not contribute much to the rates.

 

It is similar in Baden-Württemberg. 2G in shops and 2Gplus in restaurants and hotels, exemption triple vaccination. But the other details vary and the Christmas markets are all closed. Also note that PCR testing centers/labs have a long turnaround time. Antigen testing time might also be a bit longer (queues) but is less of a problem.

 

By the way, Mainz has from one year to the next turned into a prosperous city - they have earned millions in additional taxes from the company Biontech.

 

notamermaid

 

 

[notamermaid]

26 minutes ago, notamermaid said:

A real problem for many teenagers and other people who for which ever reason have only had one jab.

Correction: those aged 12 to 17 for the time being are subject to the 3G rule, so do not need to be fully vaccinated to enter a shop.

[KBs mum]

Situation in the UK at the moment is fairly relaxed. Everything going ahead as normal, other than masks being required in shops and on public transport (recommended during the summer but now mandatory) 

There are no major supply issues, from time to time something may not be available, but it will be next week (eg preferred brand of something) 

 

UK policy was always covid isn't going away so we have to find a way to function despite it. We look at hospitalisation and death rates, not positive tests, at the moment there is more concern about a possibly bad winter flu season than covid 19. We seemed to have reached a fairly stable, even falling background level, in the same way there is always a background level of, say, measles. 

 

UK chrismas markets are going ahead. 

[notamermaid]

49 minutes ago, KBs mum said:

There are no major supply issues, from time to time something may not be available, but it will be next week (eg preferred brand of something) 

That is good. Things here okay as well. No real problems in food retail, just a day or two of waiting depending on where you go or what you want, the electronics are lagging behind (China supply chain of course). And toys. But just the ones from Asia.

 

I have read that the markets are going ahead. Seeing that Summer and last year was worse for you than for us we now have to bear the bad winter. But the infection rate still a massive wide gap between the individual states. My state is sort of okay, hence the fact that we are still allowed Christmas markets. Big news is that the R number is just under 1 this week. Hosptalization rate has been used since Summer here at least, do not remember the introduction month.

 

Kind of weird, but I miss the dressing up of assistants in supermarkets in England. Not such a tradition here. But my local supermarket has got a lovely Christmas tree and poinsiettas.

 

Have a good Christmas.

 

notamermaid

 

Edited December 4, 2021 by notamermaid
grammar

[KBs mum]

35 minutes ago, notamermaid said:

 

 

Kind of weird, but I miss the dressing up of assistants in supermarkets in England. Not such a tradition here. But my local supermarket has got a lovely Christmas tree and poinsiettas.

 

Have a good Christmas.

 

notamermaid

 

Get yourself a lurid jumper and a hat with lights on and show them how it's done! 

 

All the best for you and yours

 

KB's Mum

[notamermaid]

33 minutes ago, KBs mum said:

Get yourself a lurid jumper and a hat with lights on and show them how it's done! 

 

All the best for you and yours

 

KB's Mum

Thank you. Got myself a sweat shirt last year, quite cute actually as far as that stuff is concerned. Snoopy with a hat on. I think I still have a hat with lights from a trip in 2018 or 2019. Thanks for jogging my memory (without knowing it), will look for that hat tomorrow. Could take a bit of time.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

Found the hat and the battery is okay! The lights are flashing! 😀👏

 

Here we (me myself and I) go "Rocking around the Christmas tree have a happy holiday..." 

 

Alright, back to serious matters. And a look at German history 🇩🇪.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

Alright, history, let’s just say, I have not seen so many signs and barriers in my life on a daily basis since my trip to Berlin in the late 80‘s. The present is quite bizarre. I have watched a lovely winter sunset in the Rhine valley. Over in Berlin the new government has finished its first day at work. For tourists this day has not brought any changes as far as I can ascertain, but we may see new restrictions by next week that will impact tourists and potentially your enjoyment of river cruises.

But to the current situation. At a local food place yesterday the owner confirmed to me that the 2G plus rule, which means you need a test in addition to being vaccinated, is enforced and checked and she cannot afford the fine so she had to send a fully vaccinated old lady to sit on a chair out in the cold. I am in Rhineland-Palatinate, for other states rules may vary slightly. I hope your river cruise company can keep up with this. The rules for Christmas markets also vary slightly. If you are triple vaccinated you may be exempt from the 2G plus rule, i.e. do not need an additional test.

It has me wondering: can you still go into a café as a river cruise tourist, indicate a smile behind your mask, give 50 cents and use the toilet if you do not have a test first?

 

Such rules and regulations where you have to declare your health status are steadily increasing in the EU, from Romania, i.e. the Danube, to the Netherlands (Rhine, Meuse and canals). Remember that due to the fear of fraud you may well also have to prove your ID.

 

Luxembourg is not as strict as Germany, but the main Christmas market now also operates with a 2G rule for example. The country has an increase in cases, so things could change there as well.

 

In Germany the incidence rate for a municipality still needs to be checked because a „hot spot“ will at short notice see tighter restrictions. The fact that more and more fully vaccinated people are in hospital is worrying for the authorities, together with a bit of Omicron fear, hence the fact that there may be general changes again next week. But there is also a high virus load across the ages. The WHO says that children in the EU are particularly infected right now, which, as I checked the situation in Cologne for you, looks to me confirmed by the graphs I have found for Cologne. In Cologne the overall rate in its whole population is staggering compared to the whole of North Rhine-Westphalia (due to Carnival (was already 2G – still a bad idea to let it go ahead they say), a football match and the Christmas market), but it is not declared a hot spot. While searching I also found the headline (Cologne newspaper): “Infectious diseases expert says she cannot recommend going to the Christmas market”.

 

All in all the situation is still better along part of the Main, along the Rhine and the Moselle than along the Danube and the Elbe.

 

notamermaid

 

[VJONES125]

Just now, VJONES125 said:

 

Thank you for the update.  We are suppose to leave Saturday for our Rhine Cruise.  Still on the fence post whether to go and time is running out on that decision.

[notamermaid]

23 hours ago, VJONES125 said:

Thank you for the update.  We are suppose to leave Saturday for our Rhine Cruise.  Still on the fence post whether to go and time is running out on that decision.

Wish I could help you a bit more with the decision. As a local - I try to report just and fair here and censor myself - I struggle to find the magic in all this, but I have no Christmas market nearby that I can just pop over to for a quick glühwein after work. So I am not a perfect judge. My cheer and Christmas spirit I find at home with my lights, family, cats and food and drink.

 

I like risk benefit assessment, so from that angle I would ask myself, am I willing to put up with what restricts my enjoyment and the risk involved in travelling to a country that tries to feel safe at almost the utmost it can do, among it "panic boosters" against Omicron? The variant is officially in the wider Cologne area and has been detected in other places. Can you put up with potential quarantine? Do you want to risk leaving and then finding more places unavailable to you, perhaps even another Christmas market closed? What risk is there financially?

 

How much will you benefit from getting away?  What do you expect and hope to find? And very importantly, if you do not go this year, will you have another chance next year or after that? Is getting pampered on a ship and spending time with like-minded people enough reason for you to go no matter what you will find at ports?

 

There are many things to consider. As regards recent videos to give you an idea what there is to find, I have chosen this video (you can turn the sound off if the gentleman is a bit much for you ). Cologne Christmas markets. At 0:10 you can see the 2G sign that is so present in many places. At 5:52 you can see behind the gentleman a typical barrier put up to bar entry to the unvaccinated, i.e. sealed off area  with check of health status at the entrance. At 15:40 you can see a sign at the entrance with a vaccinated and a recovered Heinzelmann. The presenter walks along several markets in daylight and in the evening: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaSx6niSt_w

 

 

Headline from day before yesterday in a German newspaper said: "Great rush to see Strasbourg Christmas market". It referred to the fact that in Baden-Württemberg all Christmas markets are closed and the people drive to Strasbourg in Alsace. Driving time for most will be between 20 minutes and two hours and a half hours one way. Easy if you are desperate to see a market.

 

And there is another aspect. One may have a Christmas market close to home, but while it may look German, it is not quite German (or French), i.e. quite as authentic, when the language spoken is English, is it?

 

Hope this helps.

 

notamermaid

 

 

[pully8]

Thanks for all the details of the current regulations.

Wonder how much the digital divide impacts as it does here in Australia?

The assumption everyone has a smart phone and knows how to use it to display and update documents to validate vaccine status?

Boosters are beginning and children, 5-11 next month.

With our border open to travel some are reluctant because of the risk of 14 day quarantine on return. Some do not have suitable home conditions to isolate.

In our state some had organised and been approved home quarantine but when they landed were taken directly to hotel quarantine for testing and processing, angering many and their families. The authorities were concerned about the new variant.

Daily rule changes and each state has different regimes.

Cruising here is not yet approved except for a few small ships that have limited trips.  We would need to leave the country to join a ship to cruise. 

Take care.  

[notamermaid]

On 12/10/2021 at 1:13 AM, pully8 said:

Wonder how much the digital divide impacts as it does here in Australia?

The assumption everyone has a smart phone and knows how to use it to display and update documents to validate vaccine status?

That is a problem for some. Shop owners needing to learn how to read the info on the smartphone of their customers for example. A dear lady who does not own a smartphone ran into a problem for a test requirement. A while ago I did not carry a smartphone to a testing centre and asked for a print-out. The assistant's comment: "We do not really immediately print out results anymore. But if you wait some time we can arrange it." Really sounded too much hassle for them. "Or give us your e-mail address." Which was okay for me, but is no use to those who do not own a computer either.

 

I seriously do not know how you cope with having to stay in the country. I am impressed. No river cruising, hardly any cruising. Some people's patience must be wearing thin. We all need that silver lining desperately. I hope you can soon plan new trips and happily tell us about them.

 

All the best.

 

notamermaid

 

 

 

[pully8]

Yes we dream we will cruise again, meanwhile we watch you tube of others and past cruises. Particularly love the snow scenes and guided walks, often only a few days old.

There is frustration about travel but that is minor when we consider the hardships many are facing.

Queensland will open its borders tomorrow some of their residents have been camped outside for a few months waiting to return home, having had their requests denied.

Western Australia will remain restricted to enter unless people are fully vaccinated and quarantine for 14 days.

Our state is open, test cricket starts on Thursday, thousands are expected, hopefully vaccinated and negative for the virus.

First cases of the variant of concern have entered and cases are growing.

Boosters have been brought forward by 1 month.

Hot day today, 35 degrees we will make salads and stay home and keep the garden well watered. 

Stay safe all. 

  

[notamermaid]

Call it preliminary good news and I do not think it will change on what the title of this thread is saying, soon, but it is good to read. The incidence rate is falling. I know a few of you are still planning on sailing and perhaps anxiously waiting for or dreading news from your river cruise company, so here is an easy to follow trend assessment: https://graphics.reuters.com/world-coronavirus-tracker-and-maps/countries-and-territories/germany/

 

Trying to see it with the half full glass part of my brain, I would say that we may be able to keep a few Christmas markets going along the Rhine and in the Northwest of Germany if people are careful. There is more besides Cologne you know - Bonn, easy coach trip to fantastic Aachen, Düsseldorf...

 

notamermaid

 

[as400guy]

Sadly we canceled our March, 2022 Elbe River cruise this week.  It had been rescheduled  after our March, 2020 was canceled.

 

We have had this cruise on our "Bucket List" for many years.  We're hoping 2023 will find us healthy and able to do it then.

 

Thank you all for your observations.  It helped to have some boots on the ground to inform our decision.

[notamermaid]

26 minutes ago, as400guy said:

Sadly we canceled our March, 2022 Elbe River cruise this week. 

Sorry to read that, a difficult decision. Glad that I have been able to help you along the way a bit. Have a good winter and I hope your next travels will take you to a lovely destination, till you can sail the Elbe in 2023.

 

notamermaid

 

[Coral]

16 hours ago, as400guy said:

Sadly we canceled our March, 2022 Elbe River cruise this week.  It had been rescheduled  after our March, 2020 was canceled.

 

We have had this cruise on our "Bucket List" for many years.  We're hoping 2023 will find us healthy and able to do it then.

 

Thank you all for your observations.  It helped to have some boots on the ground to inform our decision.

I think it is the right decision. Hoping 2023 will be the right time for the trip.

[rcaruso]

I just got home after nearly 4 weeks of travel.  Started in Budapest on the Viking Rinda.  We left the day it was announced that Austria was closing.  We called Viking but since less than 24 hours from the start of our trip we would lose our money.  They could not tell us if they would cancel the cruise or what they would do.  So we left for Budapest, got the e-mail from them in Frankfurt with an amended itinerary, so off to Budapest.  We had low water in Budapest, so the third day the ship went to Komoran (not much there) they did give us a free optional excursion.  Then sailed through Vienna and docked in Passau, they offered bus to Regensburg one day, but we didnt go.  Passau was sad without its Christmas Market.  We stayed three nights at an hotel, then cancelled our two nights in Munich as the Covid rates very high.  Went to Karlstadt am Main for most of the rest of the time, had two nights in Wurzburg, again sad without it's Christmas Market.  Each week the regulations got a little tighter.  All 2G, last week the stores in Karlstadt started asking for passport and vaccination cards.

 

We spent the last two nights in Frankfurt.  There was a Christmas Market, we went took a picture and left, very crowded and the booths didn't really appeal.  Plus some middle eastern protest started by the Train Station and moved slowly, huge police presence.

 

We had a very nice time with our friends in Karlstadt, but all our small hotels had very low occupancy and we felt so bad for them.  We also had to get a rapid test 1 day before leaving--was very easy in Frankfurt by train station about $15 per person and has all information needed.

 

Not sure if I had to do over, if I would have gone.  A lot of red tape, uncertainty, making sure on ship all saliva tests done and come back negative, and the last test of course before leaving the country was a bit nerve racking---We are tripled vaxxed, but still worry.  Also the ffp2 masks really cause condensation outside and you have a rainforest in your mask!

 

Thanks, Notamermaid for all your help and advice, was quite an adventure.

[slidergirl]

Just saw today that Italy, Germany and France are all on the CDC "stage 4" list - "very high risk".  

And CDC has all ocean and river cruises tagged as "stage 3".

 

 

[Coral]

2 hours ago, rcaruso said:

Thanks, Notamermaid for all your help and advice, was quite an adventure.

Definitely an adventure - thanks for reporting.

[Host Jazzbeau]

2 hours ago, slidergirl said:

Just saw today that Italy, Germany and France are all on the CDC "stage 4" list - "very high risk".  

And CDC has all ocean and river cruises tagged as "stage 3".

And nobody in the US pays any attention to these CDC ratings...

[steamboats]

@rcaruso great you were at least able to enjoy your trip a bit although it didn´t went as planned.

 

steamboats

[rcaruso]

5 hours ago, steamboats said:

@rcaruso great you were at least able to enjoy your trip a bit although it didn´t went as planned.

 

steamboats

Thank you Steamboats for your comments and advice too!

[Canal archive]

I look at it this way if we want to travel to some places in the world it is recommended that you are vaccinated, if you live in a country that offers it you can have a flue vaccine and these are tailored to the expected virus of the year. Also if a member of your family has one of several obnoxious diseases you may be offered a vaccine that protects you. If you are really young you start a course of vaccinations to cover you until your emerging immune system can do the job on its own. So now with covid it looks like we will be boosted (I was going to say - from here to eternity) annually or until, fingers crossed, it runs its course.

There will always be a challenge with people who refuse the vaccine and also with countries who for whatever and I mean whatever reason cannot or will not purchase the vaccine regardless of the cost if it be high or low. We cannot force anyone to participate but maybe encouragement may work.

[slidergirl]

18 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

And nobody in the US pays any attention to these CDC ratings...

You will if you have to come back from there...