Things are slowly getting tight for Croatia in the <a title=”Article on the Covid 19 pandemic” href=”https://www.sea-help.eu/tag/covid-19-pandemie/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer”>COVID 19 pandemic</a> caused by Sars-CoV-2, as Austria is currently issuing a <a title=”Wikipedia: Meaning Travel Warning” href=”https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travel_warning” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer”>travel warning</a> for Croatia.
The number of infections has risen sharply in recent days: From 91 new infections on Tuesday to 130 new infections on Wednesday, more than 180 new infections on Thursday and finally 211 new infections on Friday (14.08.2020 to 14.00 h), the development leading to the Austrian travel warning is taking a course that many consider predictable: Party tourism on the island of Pag, reports of exuberant night-time beach parties in Makarska and Split, which also involve a lot of alcohol, are destroying the good reputation Croatia has acquired in the early days of the pandemic. The Croatian authorities’ reflex-like denial that German travellers returning to Croatia have been infected also melts the confidence.
Constantly updated table of COVID-19 infections in Croatia
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Friday, 11.00 h: Ministry of Health observes situation with concern
An inquiry of the SeaHelp editorial office at the Austrian Ministry of Health, respectively the press spokesman of the Minister of Health Anschober on 14 August 2020 at 11:00 a.m. regarding possible measures for Croatian tourists entering the country, resulted in the following answer: “We are observing the situation in Croatia with concern, but at this point in time we cannot yet say whether and how we will react to the increasing number of infections in Croatia with further measures. This requires more detailed consideration with regard to possible infection clusters, i.e. where did those who had become infected with COVID-19 come from”. And on explicit request: “If measures are taken, we will of course take them with appropriate advance notice, so that people can prepare for them”. There was no mention of a travel warning for Croatia at that time.
Friday, 12.00 h: Travel warning for Croatia
One hour later, these statements were partly a waste of time, Austria issued a travel warning for Croatia (https://www.bmeia.gv.at/reise-aufenthalt/reisewarnungen/ ). Whether to leave it at that or follow up the travel warning for Croatia with further measures is not yet clear. At least, Health Minister Anschober did not yet want to decide on the chronological order of possible measures and referred to the Foreign Ministry that it would have to be coordinated with Croatia’s neighbouring countries.
For German holidaymakers nothing changes for the time being
For German holidaymakers who are currently in Croatia or have planned a holiday, the travel warning for Croatia by the Austrians will not change anything for the time being. There is no active travel warning for Croatia in Germany. Also the transit through Austria in transit will be guaranteed in any case. However, one should be prepared for increased border controls at the Croatian-Slovenian border and the Slovenian-Austrian border on the return journey and, if possible, choose times that are not so strongly affected by return traffic from Croatia.
Statements regarding travel warnings for Croatia with short expiry date
It is not yet clear exactly what measures travel warning for Croatia will entail for Austrian tourists in Croatia. Whether the advance warning, which can be prepared for, as still today at 11.00 o’clock by the press speaker of the Austrian Minister of Health Anschober claims, will last in case of a further negative development of the infection numbers, might still be in the stars. The expiry date of such statements seems to be very short at present.
We will continue to wait and see how things develop and will report here on the consequences and implications of the travel warning issued by Austria for Croatia.
Croatia: Party tourism stopped too late
Ultimately, the aim is not to place entire countries under general suspicion or to lump all holidaymakers together, but to identify specific clusters regardless of national borders and to derive the appropriate measures from them. However, Croatia will probably have a lot of catching up to do in this area, because what is currently being reported according to the descriptions of local holidaymakers and people returning to Croatia has recently not been taken quite so seriously with the corona rules in some areas and sectors. Even the party stronghold Zrce on the island of Pag, the club scene in Zagreb and various events in Dalmatia have certainly not helped to confirm Croatia’s positive image in the COVID 19 pandemic so far.
Entry from Croatia to Austria without quarantine
On the homepage of the Austrian government it says (as of 14.8., 14.00 h): “Austrian citizens, citizens of EU/EEA states and Switzerland, persons with residence or habitual abode in Austria as well as persons with a residence permit in Austria can travel from the following European states with the exception of the Spanish mainland (Attention: Travel warning! ) – stable COVID-19 situation without a negative PCR test and without quarantine (if they have stayed exclusively in one of these states for the past ten days and can credibly prove this):
Andorra, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Croatia, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, San Marino, Switzerland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain (only the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands), Czech Republic, Hungary, Vatican City, United Kingdom and Cyprus”.
Skipper in Croatia as safe as in Germany or Austria
Despite the Austrian travel warning, however, the skippers who are currently sailing the Adriatic with their boats and yachts can sit back and relax: At least for them, but also for holidaymakers in apartments, the situation has not changed fundamentally: Those who keep their distance, observe hygiene rules and wear masks where necessary, have just as little to fear in Croatia as in Austria or Germany.
Entry to Austria without restrictions
On the homepage of the Austrian government it says (as of 14.8., 14.00 h) : Austrian citizens, citizens of EU/EEA countries and Switzerland, persons with residence or habitual abode in Austria as well as persons with a residence permit in Austria can travel from the following European countries with the exception of the Spanish mainland (Attention: Travel warning! ) – stable COVID-19 situation without a negative PCR test and without quarantine (if they have stayed exclusively in one of these states for the past ten days and can credibly prove this):
Andorra, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Croatia, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, San Marino, Switzerland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain (only the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands), Czech Republic, Hungary, Vatican City, United Kingdom and Cyprus
