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Innsbruck / Berlin (dpa) - In the fight against the spreading South African corona variant, the Austrian state of Tyrol has put new exit restrictions into force.
Leaving the federal state for Germany or for neighboring Austrian federal states is only possible in the next ten days with a negative corona test, which must not be older than 48 hours.
Germany wants to react to the spread of the corona variants with its own measures from Sunday.
Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) and Lothar Wieler, President of the Robert Koch Institute, want to inform about the corona situation on Friday morning.
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According to the Federal Ministry of the Interior, the Czech Republic and Tyrol were classified as so-called virus mutation areas.
Federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer (CSU) decided to introduce temporary border controls at the borders with the Czech Republic as well as the internal border controls with Austria that have existed since the refugee crisis, a spokesman said.
The federal government is currently coordinating with all partners involved, "especially on possible exceptions" and will provide information about this soon.
In Tyrol, the South African version of the Corona is of particular concern.
Between December 23 and February 9, 438 confirmed and partly unconfirmed cases of this virus variant were found there.
The variant is considered more contagious.
Compliance with the new measure is to be closely monitored by around 1200 police officers and soldiers.
A violation can cost up to 1450 euros.
Excluded from this rule are children as well as goods traffic and transit without a stopover.
Among the countries that have been classified as virus mutation areas for which a transport ban to Germany applies, there is so far no neighboring country.
Almost only Germans and foreigners residing in Germany are currently allowed to enter from the already defined mutation areas abroad.
There are also special rules for medical staff, transit passengers and the movement of goods.
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The Czech Republic is badly affected by the Corona crisis.
Nationwide, authorities reported 9,446 new cases on Thursday.
The EU member state with around 10.7 million inhabitants was already classified as a high-risk area.
Travelers from the Czech Republic have to present a negative corona test when entering the country.
Designation as a virus variant area would further restrict travel options.
Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) protested on Thursday evening in the ZDF program “Markus Lanz” against the formulation that the borders with Tyrol and the Czech Republic would be “closed”.
He said that anyone who wanted to travel from Tyrol or the Czech Republic would have to present a negative corona test in the future.
There are no exceptions.
According to the Bavarian state government, the more contagious variant of the coronavirus from Great Britain has already gained the upper hand among commuters from the Czech Republic in some eastern Bavarian regions.
The proportion of the mutated variant in positive corona tests is around 70 percent in Tirschenreuth and more than 40 percent in Wunsiedel, said Söder at "Markus Lanz".
Both cities are close to the Czech border.
In view of the drastic Corona numbers in the Czech Republic, Saxony had already announced a significant restriction in commuter traffic before Seehofer's decision.
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The chairman of the conference of interior ministers, Thomas Strobl (CDU), welcomed the decision of the federal interior minister.
“We all learned last spring how painful border closings are.
But they are necessary as a last resort when it comes to protecting life and limb of people, ”said the Baden-Württemberg interior minister to the newspapers of the Funke media group.
The two SPD politicians Achim Post and Dirk Wiese made similar statements.
The open borders in Europe are a valuable asset that must continue to be protected in this crisis.
«In view of the current spread of the highly contagious virus mutations, especially in border regions in the Czech Republic and Austria, temporary restrictions and even stationary border controls with these neighboring states are generally appropriate in the acute crisis situation.
But they have to be designed with a sense of proportion. "
The Czech Republic announced that it would seal off three border districts from the outside world this Friday.
The districts affected are Sokolov (Falkenau) on the border with Saxony, Cheb (Eger) on the border with Bavaria and Saxony, and Trutnov (Trautenau) on the border with Poland near Saxony.
Those who live there are no longer allowed to leave the respective district, said Health Minister Jan Blatny in Prague.
Outside people would not be allowed in.
Exceptions apply to the way to the workplace.
During the first lockdown in spring, national border controls were introduced for three months in order to prevent the virus from being imported from abroad as much as possible.
At that time there was criticism of this measure in some federal states because commuters, families and companies suffered from it.
On Friday, the Bundestag dealt with the grand coalition's plan to create the basis for several corona regulations, for example on vaccinations and tests, to continue beyond the end of March.
They are based on the fact that the Bundestag continues to determine an "epidemic situation of national scope" - but in future the parliament should regularly have to make new decisions.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210212-99-406619 / 3