On the recommendation of the Robert Koch Institute, the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs had updated its list of high-risk regions adding to its regions from 15 EU and Schengen Area Member States, including the entire territory of Malta, the Netherlands and continental France.

The RKI, which is the German federal government agency and research institute responsible for disease control and prevention, and updates the list on a weekly basis, has recommended to the Federal MFA to categorize the following as high-risk areas.

• the region of Ostrobothnia in Finland
• all of continental France as well as the French Martinique overseas territory
• the Mid-West, South-West, Mid-East, West and Midlands regions of Ireland
• the regions of Campania and Liguria in Italy
• Grad (city) Zagreb and Međimurska counties in Croatia
• the entire country of Malta
• the entire country of the Netherlands
• the regions of Kujawsko-pomorskie, Małopolskie, Podlaski, Pomorskie and Świętokrzyskie in Poland
• the Norte region in Portugal
• the provinces of Jämtland, Örebro, Stockholm and Uppsala in Sweden
• the cantons of Friborg, Jura, Neuchâtel, Nidwalden, Schwyz, Uri, Zurich and Zug in Switzerland
• the entire country of Slovakia
• the regions Jugovzhodna Slovenija, Pomurska and Podravska in Slovenia
• the region/county Veszprém in Hungary
• the East Midlands and West Midlands regions of the UK

According to the RKI, the classification as a risk area is based on joint analysis and decision by the Federal Ministry of Health, the Foreign Office and the Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Home Affairs.

“For people entering the Federal Republic of Germany who have been in a risk area at any time within the last 14 days prior to entry, there may be an obligation to quarantine them in accordance with the respective quarantine regulations of the responsible federal states,” the RKI notes in a press release.

The agency also points out that the assessment is mainly based on the number of infections and the type of outbreak, test capacities and tests carried out per inhabitant as well as measures taken in the states to contain the infection rate in each region.