(Special for CAFS) Namibia, South Africa downgraded from virus variant area to high risk

WINDHOEK, July 30 — Namibia and South Africa will be downgraded from being classified as virus variant areas by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), to now being areas of high risk, an executive said Friday.
Lufthansa Group general manager of southern Africa and east Africa, Andre Schulz in a statement said this means it is now easier to enter Germany from Namibia or South Africa, given that the quarantine period is only ten days instead of fourteen days and can be ended after just five days with a negative PCR test.
“Passengers who have been fully vaccinated with approved vaccines and come from high-risk areas do not need to be quarantined at all. Additionally, unlike in virus variant areas, there is no transport ban for travelers without German or EU citizenship,” he added.
Schulz said it is without a doubt that this news will have a significant impact on day-to-day business, and is welcomed with great excitement and elation.
“Based on these new regulations the airlines of the Lufthansa Group will continuously re-evaluate and adjust our capacity to meet the demand according to our customer’s needs,” he added.
The Robert Koch Institute is a German federal government agency and research institute responsible for disease control and prevention.
Meanwhile, Namibia’s President Hage Geingob on Friday announced the relaxation of some of the COVID-19 regulations in the country, that will see inter-regional travel being permitted; restaurants and food outlets being allowed sit-in clients, and the reopening of face to face school classes commencing on Aug. 4, among others, as the country continues to fight the pandemic. (Xinhua)