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Berlin (dpa) - Federal Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer has spoken out in favor of extending the general test obligation for air travel to Germany.

The CSU politician told the German Press Agency: “It must be maintained.

That will work out in the next few weeks.

Testing will become a matter of course when you are on the go.

We need that as a bridge until we are vaccinated. "

In the fight against the corona pandemic, tests have been mandatory for all flights to Germany since Tuesday.

You have to do the test in the country of departure before take-off.

Anyone who cannot provide the airline with evidence of a negative result is not allowed to board the aircraft.

Crews and children up to five years of age are exempt from the obligation to test.

The regulations apply up to and including May 12th.

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"In cooperation with airlines and tour operators, we have found very pragmatic and good solutions for compulsory testing for everyone traveling abroad such as Mallorca - even if I want to be very clear: At the moment, trips abroad are not a good idea," said Scheuer.

"People have to make it clear: It's about health protection and a certain solidarity with society, namely that you have to come back tested."

The obligation to test runs according to the entry regulation until May 12th, after which a legal follow-up regulation should take place.

"As long as we still need time for the vaccination, we need the bridge of testing for everyone who currently cannot or does not want to do without trips abroad."

When asked what is currently causing him the biggest headache in the Corona crisis, Scheuer said: “The dangerous virus situation and the bad mood.

We have to get back into perspective mode very quickly.

The next few weeks will be decisive, also in terms of summer and the possibilities of mobility.

There is one thing that the virus must not also create: that it divides society. "

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The federal government had introduced the new general test obligation against the background of the tense corona situation in Germany.

Previously, flight passengers who did not come from a risk area did not have to take a test before departure.

In mid-March, the federal government no longer classified the holiday island of Mallorca as a risk area and thus lifted travel restrictions after the corona numbers had dropped significantly there.

This triggered a booking boom.

© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210402-99-62666 / 2