The land of endless horizons is again easily accessible for German Namibia fans. As of September 12, Namibia will no longer be considered a high risk area, announced the Foreign Office in the travel information on its website today. This means that unvaccinated holidaymakers no longer have to be quarantined when they return from Namibia.
With this decision, the committee of representatives from the health, interior and foreign ministries is probably taking into account the drastically reduced infection rate in Namibia. The 7-day incidence was 29.2 today and is expected to continue to decline. Because now the summer begins in Namibia with a dry and warm climate.
Measurement doesn’t say anything about Sossusvlei
In addition, the measurement is determined by the infection rate in the cities and says nothing about the sparsely populated areas which are the main areas visited by tourists. The travel industry has been practicing internationally proven hygiene measures for more than a year and is considered a pioneer in vaccination. Employees of lodges and other tourism companies are usually vaccinated.
However, the industry is concerned about the slow progress of the vaccination campaign. To date the rate of fully vaccinated is only 5%. To support the government’s campaign, the lodge group Gondwana set up drive-through vaccination stations in Windhoek and Swakopmund.
Fighting the pandemic by travelling Namibia?
German holidaymakers waiting for their return flight at the international airport near Windhoek expressed mostly incomprehension or even open criticism of the generalising warnings of their government against travelling abroad.
By contrast, one respondent described travelling Namibia in a rental car even as a contribution to the fight against the fourth corona wave in Germany: For three weeks, you are optimally protected from infection and you are absent as a potential virus transmitter at home.
The travel regulations at a glance
Entry into Namibia, also for vaccinated and recovered:
• negative PCR test (not older than 7 days)
• Health form to be completed
• Travel health insurance, also covering Covid treatment
• firmly booked travel program
Return to Germany:
• Vaccinated and convalescents only need proof
• Unvaccinated returnees need a negative antigen test
• Children under the age of 12 do not need to be tested
Return to UK and other countries:
• see the website of IATA Travel Centre
This report was published, in a slightly modified form, with further news stories on travel and nature in Namibia, in the column “Reise Aktuell” in the print edition of Namibiamagazin no. 3/2021 (in German only).
Corona Situation in Namibia and countries worldwide
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/namibia/
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/#countries