(TAN): Austria has opened its borders for the citizens of neighbouring countries except that of Italy.
Travellers from Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Slovenia will be able to enter Austria starting June 14. However, the authorities said only those who have not visited any country other than the ones included in the list in the fortnight preceding their arrival at Austria’s port of entry, will be allowed to enter the country.
“This relaxation of the provisions on entry from Austria’s neighbouring countries applies equally to land, sea and air travel,” Austria’s interior ministry said.
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Austrian authorities said visitors seeking entry from the surrounding countries starting June 4 will be required to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test or quarantine themselves for 14 days.
“In addition, a negative molecular biological test for SARS-CoV-2 that is not older than four days must be shown, or a 14-day self-monitored home quarantine must be started. If a test is performed during quarantine and the test is negative, quarantine can be ended prematurely,” the ministry added.
The central European country lifted its border restrictions for several European nations after keeping its borders closed for over two months to slow the spread of COVID-19. However, Italy was the only bordering nation that did not make it to the list. Austrian authorities said the entry ban on anybody travelling from Italy was important because of the infection rate there.
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Meanwhile, Italy reopened its borders to tourists from the European Union and Schengen Area earlier this month.
People travelling to Italy from the 26 European Union member states, and Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and Vatican City will be exempt from “sanitary surveillance and fiduciary isolation” for a fortnight, “unless they have stayed in different countries in the 14 days prior to entry into Italy”.
So far, Austria has reported 16,843 cases of infection including 672 deaths, as per data from Johns Hopkins University.
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