Apologies if this has been discussed on another forum--if so, just direct me there..
We are going to Germany 7/25-8/6. I have tickets with Icelandair. For Germany, a "proof of vaccination OR negative test OR proof of prior covid infection" is required. The German Embassy/Consulate/Auswaertiges Amt all direct me to a "list of acceptable vaccines" at the Paul Ehrlich institute. My husband and I both have Moderna US and our 17 yo daughter has Pfizer vaccines. Neither of these is listed on the Paul Ehrlich site's "accepted " list. I find this hard to believe so I am reaching out the hive brain here. Are Moderna and Pfizer accepted or not?
Also, although evidently I don't really "need" to be tested, I thought we should get one just in case. Opinions on that? And of course the BinaxNow test we have in our area locally available is not on the list of accepted antigen tests by the Robert Koch institute, but again, I find this hard to believe, since its being used all over the US..?
Finally, if a 1 hour layover in Iceland, do I need to worry about Iceland's specific entry requirements also?
Thanks
Posted by
Southeast US
3845 posts
It's always helpful if you give us the link to the info you are viewing.
This is the page linked from the Germany Embassy in the US website for approved vaccines: https://www.pei.de/DE/arzneimittel/impfstoffe/covid-19/covid-19-node.html
The vaccine listed as "Comirnaty" and marketed by BioNTech manufacturing is the Pfizer vaccine. It was jointly developed by BioNTech and Pfizer and will often be listed as the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.
The Moderna vaccine is on the list.
Posted by
Karlsruhe, Germany
293 posts
Neither of these is listed on the Paul Ehrlich site's "accepted " list. I find this hard to believe so I am reaching out the hive brain here. Are Moderna and Pfizer accepted or not?
I am not sure what list you have found, but I find this, where both of the above-mentioned vaccines are listed. The Pfizer one is listed only with its European manufacturer, which is BioNTech. Here is another list that makes this clear, from the European Commission.
Sorry, I don't have information about the tests, but perhaps it is the same type of issue regarding names? Not sure precisely how you would go about sorting that out, though.
Posted by
Southeast US
3845 posts
the BinaxNow test we have in our area locally available is not on the
list of accepted antigen tests by the Robert Koch institute, but
again, I find this hard to believe, since its being used all over the
US
Sometimes Germany is appalled by the things the US accepts 🙂.
In this case, they should be.
The key is the column for sensitivity and specificity way to the right on the list of acceptable tests.
In the interest of not going too deep into the weeds, I will say the BinaxNow test is not very good at picking up COVID-19 relative to PCR according to a study on the CDC website (a link to the weeds, if you are interested: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7003e3.htm). In asymptomatic people, the test was positive only 36% of the time when a PCR test done at the same time was positive (the test's "sensitivity"). For symptomatic people with a positive PCR, it was positive only 64% of the time.
I would argue that Germany is brilliant for not accepting a test that appears to pick up only 1/3 of asymptomatic people with a positive PCR test.
Posted by
Ohio
1481 posts
I will be using the Binax test through eMed telehealth as a way to return to the US in July. It seems to me that the US is requiring this test just to say they require testing rather than to make sure new virus cases don't make their way back in the country. But, it is easier, so that is what I will be doing.
You don't need to worry about transiting in Iceland. But to reassure you, your CDC vaccination card would work.