1. CURRENT BAVARIAN ORDINANCE. (Bav. Ord.) The 14th Bavarian Ordinance containing COVID-19 restrictions was originally enacted on 2 September 2021 and is effective through 1 October 21.

2. CONTACT RESTRICTIONS LIFTED. (Bav. Ord.) There are no longer any restrictions on how many people can participate in private gatherings at homes or in public places.

3. SURGICAL MASK REQUIREMENT. (Bav. Ord. §§ 1, 2, 4, 13, 16) Surgical Masks replace FFP2 masks. Surgical masks are mandatory for all persons age 6 and older in public transportation, retail outlets, religious services, and restaurants when not seated.

4. HOSPTIAL STOP LIGHT SYSTEM. (Bav. Ord. Part 3) Bavaria's restrictions are now based on the rate of COVID-19-related hospital admissions. When Bavarian hospitals report more than 1,2000 in-patient admissions in a 7-day period (YELLOW) or 600 in-patient ICU admissions in a 7-day period (RED), the Bavarian government can impose additional restrictions. This is known as the "Hospital Stop Light System."

5. INFECTION RATE-BASED SCHEME. (Bav. Ord. § 3) The "3G-System." When the 7-day incidence rate exceeds 35/100k, most indoor activities will be available only to individuals who are (1) recovered (Genesen; (2) fully vaccinated (Geimpft); or (3) tested (Getestet). These activities include but are not limited to the following:

• Indoor participation in cultural events, i.e. movie theaters, theaters, concerts.
• Indoor participation in sports activities, i.e. fitness studios
• Indoor dining at restaurants
• Indoor tourist locations (i.e. museums, historic castles)

Please find attached the revised 7ATC mask policy to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, signed by the CG Sept. 1.  This policy distinguishes masking requirements between vaccinated and unvaccinated personal, and incorporates the latest DOD policy of mandatory mask wear if an area is designated one of high-community transmission.  The policy is in effect immediately.

Appointments are available on the DHA Appointing Portal to book adults' Moderna, Pfizer or Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine appointment at: https://informatics-stage.health.mil/COVAX/. All documents can be downloaded from the link on that site. Review eligibility, the FDA Emergency Use Authorization Fact Sheets, and fill out the DHA 207 v9 COVID-19 Vaccine Screening Form ahead of time and bring to the vaccination site.

Medical clinics in Bavaria also are offering the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to all eligible Department of Defense beneficiaries, ages 12-17 years old. Please use the DHA Appointing Portal to schedule your child’s COVID-19 vaccination appointment: https://informatics-stage.health.mil/COVAX/. 

Always - Check in with your local clinic to confirm dates, times and vaccines:

• Ansbach https://mhs-europe.tricare.mil/ansbach
• Grafenwoehr https://mhs-europe.tricare.mil/grafenwoehr
• Hohenfels https://mhs-europe.tricare.mil/hohenfels
• Vilseck https://mhs-europe.tricare.mil/Vilseck

Bavarian officials have provided signed memos for community members to carry alongside their CDC cards. To download the memos click here.

Annex A aligns on- and off-post gathering, travel and business restrictions with Host Nation law. 

Read the full details of the Annex A under the 7ATC General Order Information tab on this page. The Tab 1 summary listed under 7ATC General Order Information banner on this page explains the local host nation laws in English. The Tab 2 explains the German Rules on Travel Between the US and Germany and is listed under 7ATC General Order Information banner on this page. The German Inbound Travel and the Bavarian COVID ordinances are also translated into English under Host Nation Resources on the page. 

No. You may travel by plane, train, automobile, cruise ship, or any other method. You simply must comply with all Host Nation laws regarding that method of travel.

Previously, travel by certain means was forbidden (cruise ships) or required approval at the O-5 level (airlines). This rule was designed to prevent travelers from being stranded. For example, if you caught COVID-19 during your trip, you may not have been able to board your return flight.

Now, airlines, cruise ships, and Host Nation authorities have sufficiently developed controls that mitigate the risk of infection (for example, increased testing requirements, or a requirement to prove vaccination, before boarding a cruise ship).

It is still possible you will become infected during your travels, and it is important that you plan carefully to ensure you can safely return. In many cases, ground transportation will still be the most practical means of travel, because you may not require a negative test to drive across a border.

It is your responsibility as the traveler to know the rules of both your destination and Germany, as well as individual commercial carriers.

The short answer is “No,” but there are important considerations you must understand.  General Order #1H and Annex A no longer restrict travel destinations.  You simply must comply with all Host Nation laws regarding that travel.

Authority to approve leaves and passes is therefore returned to Company Commanders and the appropriate civilian supervisor equivalent. 

However – this is very important! – commanders and supervisors may still deny leave and pass travel if the proposed travel triggers quarantines or other restrictions on movement, and the commander or supervisor determines that those restrictions would interfere with mission accomplishment.

For example, you may wish to travel to France over Memorial Day weekend. That travel is not, strictly-speaking, forbidden. But if Bavarian law requires you to quarantine upon your return, your commander may decide that telework during that period is not practical (because, for example, they need you in the field for an exercise that week).  In that case, the commander may disapprove your leave destination.  You could still take leave locally, or you could modify your trip to travel to a location that does not require a quarantine on your return.

Bavarian and other European quarantine rules apply differently to Fully Vaccinated versus unvaccinated travelers. It is important that you educate yourself about the requirements.  As more countries publish their entry and quarantine requirements on verified outlets like https://reopen.europa.eu, COVID-19 Fully Vaccinated travelers face far fewer restrictions from Host Nation governments.

Yes! There are two websites that are very important for travelers based here in Bavaria. 

Reopen Europa is available at https://reopen.europa.eu/en/ and can be downloaded as an App in both the Google Play and Apple App Stores. This website contains loads of information about national travel restrictions, services available, mask and hygiene rules, and other things necessary to plan a proper vacation. This is your single best resource for understanding the conditions and restrictions in the area to which you will travel.

Because you will be returning here to Bavaria, you must also check the RKI “risk list,” which is found at https://www.rki.de/DE/Content/InfAZ/N/Neuartiges_Coronavirus/Risikogebiete_neu.html. Scroll to the bottom of the page to hit the link for the “English archive” and then check the most current list in English. Germany categorizes countries in three different ways.  Returning to Germany from any country listed as a “risk area,” a “high incidence area,” or a “variant area of concern” triggers a mandatory quarantine for unvaccinated travelers. You can test out of this quarantine at day 5 with a negative test, unless you are returning from a “variant area of concern.” In that case, there is no “testing out.”

At this time, there are no European destinations that are listed as a “variant area of concern,” but please check the most current list before you travel. In addition, if you travel to either a “high incidence area” or a “variant area of concern,” you are required to present a negative COVID test taken within 48 hours, and you must show this test upon entry into Germany.

We want to stress again – fully-vaccinated travelers will not have to follow these quarantine rules.

All of these resources and more can be found at www.7ATC.army.mil/COVID-19.

Many countries, including Germany, have indicated that showing a copy of your CDC “vaccine card” will serve to prove you have been vaccinated. The Bavarian law simply states that a duly-issued vaccine record in English, German, or French must be provided (reference www.7ATC.army.mil/covid-19 for official translations of current Bavarian COVID-19 ordinances).

We recommend you carry this card with you, along with your passport, during all travel.  Store it just like your passport – in a secure place, where it will not be lost or damaged.

Some countries are considering creating an App or other digital proof of your vaccination or a negative test result.  We do not know if these digital platforms will have a way to upload or verify your vaccine card. 

We do not recommend sharing your personal medical, or location, data by using any commercially-available App without consulting your command.

Germany will recognize proof of any EU-approved vaccine. This includes all of those currently approved by the U.S. – Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson (aka “Janssen”). It also includes Astra-Zeneca, which is approved in the EU but not for the U.S. It does not include the Russian “Sputnik” vaccine or any of the vaccines produced by China (Sinovac, Sinopharm).

U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria recently wrote a step-by-step guide for U.S. personnel. For information on getting the EU COVID VAX Digital Certificate click here.

Bavaria, and many other European countries, have eliminated travel-based quarantines for Fully-Vaccinated travelers. In some countries, this has already happened; in others, it has been announced but not yet implemented. It is important that you understand what this means. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and many of its European equivalents, “Fully-Vaccinated” means you have the full benefit of the vaccine. For Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech and other two-dose vaccine regimens, that means 14 days following your second dose. For Johnson & Johnson (aka Janssen), that means 14 days following your single (only) dose.

On-post social gatherings involving non-ID cardholders from our neighboring communities in excess of the Bavarian ordinance may violate host-nation law and subject participants to civil penalties.

In Bavaria, social gatherings remain severely restricted pursuant to the Bavarian Ordinance on Protective Measures Against Infectious Diseases.

However, on U.S. installations the combination of access controls, testing and tracing capabilities, and widespread vaccine availability have reduced risk. As such, we have authorized small social gatherings for community members.

These on-post limits are in excess of what the Bavarian ordinance permits. The Bavarian ordinance applies to our community members when they travel or live off-post. However, the ordinance applies at ALL TIMES to our host-nation neighbors, whether they are on or off U.S. installations. It is important community members keep this distinction in mind when hosting or participating in on-post social gatherings potentially involving non-ID Cardholders. Hosting or participating in social gatherings on-post in excess of the Bavarian restrictions with host-nation individuals violates host-nation law and may subject violators to civil penalties.

Additionally, many people mistakenly believe Netzaberg housing is "on post." Netzaberg is off-post and as such, social gatherings in Netzaberg are subject to host-nation social gathering restrictions, as are all other housing areas off our installations.

Annex A will be periodically modified to clearly explain the gathering limits on post, and the latest version can always be found at www.7ATC.army.mil/COVID-19.

No. While “social gatherings” are restricted, we have long recognized that certain morale and unit cohesion events are an integral part of our military tradition and play important roles in maintaining espirit d’ corps and networks of mutual support. These things are so essential to Army life, especially overseas. 

Therefore, these kinds of events are authorized, provided the unit follows established Garrison processes. The events are developed with COVID protections in mind, and the concepts are reviewed by our Garrison Risk Mitigation Council, including Public Health experts.

Here in Bavaria, social gatherings remain severely restricted.

On U.S. installations, where the combination of access controls, testing and tracing capabilities, and widespread vaccine availability has reduced risk, we have authorized small social gatherings. These limits are in excess of what is allowed by Bavaria off post, and it is important that you be conscious of that fact. 

Annex A will be periodically modified to clearly explain the gathering limits on post, and the latest version can always be found at www.7ATC.army.mil/COVID-19.

Many people mistakenly believe that Netzaberg housing is “on post.” It is not! In all housing areas outside the gates of our installations, Host Nation restrictions on social gatherings continue to apply.

Generally speaking, as the weather continues to improve, we continue to recommend you spend as much time as possible outside. This includes at authorized social gatherings on our installations. The risk of infection is dramatically reduced when we are outside, but you’re still required to maintain social distance, wear masks in accordance with host nation and 7ATC policies, and practice additional hygiene measures.

In most cases, children still cannot be vaccinated.  The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine is approved for use by persons aged 16 and up, and all other vaccines are only approved for those 18 and up. Our population has so far only been offered Moderna or Janssen, and neither of those are approved for minors yet.

Depending on the country, unvaccinated children may still be required to quarantine. It is imperative that travelers educate themselves about these rules and plan for them. 

For example, if you plan a trip to France this summer with two unvaccinated children, you may need a child-care plan for their quarantine period after you return. Commanders are authorized to consider this as a factor when deciding to approve leave. If a Soldier is needed at the workplace immediately following travel, leave may be denied if there is no satisfactory child-care plan during that period.

For these reasons, leisure travel with unvaccinated children outside of Germany may be easier during the summer break, when school is out.

The Bavarian 12th Infection Protection Measures Ordinance reads: "The use of services is only permitted if the customer presents proof of testing of a negative SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infection result based on a PCR test, POC antigen test or a self-test not older than 24 hours."

So, you can use all three options:
PCR test
POC antigen test
Self-test. The problem with the self-test is, however, that you have no proof that the test is less than 24-hours old. Most sources recommend to bring the self-test to the store and do it right then and there to avoid any issues with the acceptance of the test result, since these tests have no way to personalize the result or even date it.

Best recommendation is to make use of official test centers to receive a personalized and dated test result.

This transition period, while vaccines are becoming available but we have not yet eliminated the threat of COVID, is going to require careful planning. Rules are going to vary from country to country. There are several considerations for planning travel.

Ensure you make reservations that can be cancelled at no cost (or a minimal, acceptable cost). Things could change in either your destination country or here in Bavaria, and you should be prepared to alter your plans. Travel insurance is also highly recommended, and can generally be obtained through your credit card, airline, or travel agency. It may add a bit to the cost, but will be worth it if the worst happens.

Second, make a plan for a worst-case scenario. If you fly to an island destination, and one of your dependents tests positive for COVID-19 before your return flight, you may be stuck there. You should ensure you have enough money (and leave available) to cover such an unanticipated event. For the time being, ground-based travel (POV or train) is likely going to be easier than flying.

Third, even if you are vaccinated, we recommend you and all dependents traveling with you obtain negative test results within 48 hours of your departure. If possible, you should do the same prior to your return. Here in Bavaria, you can generally get a free negative test on the economy (some of these are listed on the www.7ATC.army.mil/COVID-19 website. You can also generally get tests at airports, though you may have to pay. Military Treatment Facilities on installations in Bavaria are not currently offering testing for leisure travel.

For the foreseeable future, our mask policy and social distancing rules will not change. Although vaccines are now widely available to our community, the risk of infection remains. And it only takes one large outbreak of COVID to put all our progress at risk!  We have come too far to fail now. Please continue to wear your masks, wash your hands, and maintain appropriate safe distances from those outside your household.  By complying with these measures for a little longer, we play our part in slowly beating this pandemic. The current 7ATC mask policy can be found at www.7ATC.army.mil/COVID-19.