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Despite rainy weather and COVID-19 rules for retailers, Dusseldorf's city centre is well frequented shortly before Christmas on Dec 18, 2021. (File photo: AP/Malte Krudewig, dpa) - 

Germany is tightening travel restrictions for people coming from Britain in response to the rapid spread of the Omicron variant there.

The country’s national disease control centre, the Robert Koch Institute, added Britain to its list of “virus variant areas” late on Saturday (Dec 18). This means that anyone travelling from the United Kingdom to Germany must enter a mandatory quarantine for 14 days, regardless of vaccination status.

The new restrictions, which will go into effect at midnight on Sunday, come as the UK reports a record high number of new coronavirus infections. On Saturday, the country saw 90,418 new cases.

The UK joins eight African countries, including South Africa, on Germany’s list of “virus variant areas”.

The Robert Koch Institute’s announcement comes in the wake of tightened restrictions for other countries across Europe as the continent faces a fourth wave of infections.

Starting on Sunday, France and Denmark are considered “high-risk areas,” meaning that those who are not vaccinated or recovered from the virus must quarantine for 10 days. Dozens of countries, including nearly all of Germany’s direct neighbours, have now been added to this category//CNA