Green Means Go: EU Rolls Out ‘Traffic Lights’ to Restart Air Travel
The color-coded map shows COVID-19 risk levels across Europe. Right now most of the map is red
The European Union has introduced a color-coded “traffic light” system which shows the coronavirus risk levels across regions in Europe. The map, which can be found on the Re-Open Europa website, classifies regions as green, orange, red or gray.
The colors are determined based on the 14-day cumulative incidence rate (the number of newly identified cases per 100,000 people), testing rate, and test positivity rates, based on data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).
The EU map is the latest among a number of tools that have been introduced by airlines, governments and travel organizations to provide information on pandemic-related travel restrictions around the world.
According to the EU statement, there will be “no restrictions, such as quarantine or testing, on travelers” coming from areas classed as green; these regions have a cumulative incidence rate of less than 25 and the test positivity rate is less than 4 percent.
Right now, the majority of the map is covered in red, while Norway, Finland and parts of Greece are in the orange zone.
Regions are orange if they have a cumulative incidence rate of less than 50 but the test positivity rate is 4 percent or higher, or if the rate ranges from 25-150 but the test positivity rate is less than 4 percent.
Areas in red either have a cumulative incidence rate of 50 or more and a test positivity rate of 4 percent or more, or a cumulative incidence rate of over 150. Meanwhile countries are marked as gray if there is insufficient data or if the testing rate is lower than 300 per 100,000 people.
It will be up to each EU member state to decide what entry restrictions apply for those areas classified as orange, red or gray. Travelers may be required to undergo quarantine and/or take a COVID-19 test after arrival in those areas.
The map will be updated weekly and also provides travelers with information on what restrictions are in place in each region.
