Dear members, partners & friends,

Today, it's all about our next three events - different in content and format. Please sign up!

  • #networking: register today and start to plan your speed networking meetings | Sep 30

  • #panel: Smart City discussion with Siemens, Turner Construction, A Better City | Oct 16

  • #outdoors: RSVP for a fall outdoor hike on German Unity Day | Oct 3

With corona cases rising, countries are on edge what that means for the Fall. In terms of #travel, Germany has announced that it will issue country specific guidelines as October 1st which will replace the more broader travel warnings currently in place. We will monitor and share the forthcoming details.

The question when a Covid vaccine will be available is heating up. Two press stories below on where we are in this "race" (including two German companies). Last week's #poll respondents are pretty unified on this topic. Today's poll explores something completely different - do you have a TikTok account? (Full disclosure: I don't. Should I?)

Stay healthy.

Emily Westhoven
Executive Director
Weekly Poll
This poll closes on 10/01:
Results from last week's poll:
Upcoming GABC Events
Start lining up your meetings now!
Register your profile now for this upcoming unique business speed networking opportunity brought to you by several international business organizations and innovation groups here in New England. Through the networking platform you are able to line up 12-minute one-on-one video meetings and make important new business connections.

  • Now until Sep 30th: Upload profile; send and accept invitations to meet
  • Sep 30th: Video meetings take place

Date: Wednesday, September 30th, 2020
Platform: Conversation Starter
Time: starting at 12PM
Cost: Free

Sponsored by the German Consulate General | Boston
Non-members: Please register and pay via our registration page.
We won't be able to come together for our annual Oktoberfest, but what about enjoying crisp fall air for a brisk, socially distanced hike along a truly historic trail on German Unity Day commemorating the 30th anniversary of German unification? This event will be limited in participants and masks required in case social distancing on the trail is not possible.

GABC will provide coffee and light breakfast fare when meeting at the Minuteman Visitor Center parking lot, but bring your own food/drinks for the hike.
Be prepared to be on the trail for at least 2 hours.

Date: Saturday, October 3, 2020
Time: 10AM to mid-day
Location: Battle Road Trail in Concord, MA
Cost: Free for members | $5 per non-member
First Come First Serve, but registration required.
Members: Please email us your name(s). This will serve as your RSVP. We need to keep tap on numbers.
This will be the first in a series of monthly "Smart Cities" virtual events leading up to our German-American Economic Forum, now scheduled for Spring 2021. #GAEF2021
Register Now!
The city after COVID-19: How will the pandemic impact the built environment? Will the home office mean the end of city office space? Will less office and retail space mean more residential housing and green spaces? And how can smart technology make a city pandemic resilient, ensure public health in the working and living environment and keep citizens safe in their daily interactions with the city?

Panelists:
  • Jaime Paris Boisvert, GM, Siemens Infrastructure
  • Lars Leitner, SVP, Turner Construction
Moderator:
  • Rick Dimino, CEO, A Better City

Date: Friday, October 16th, 2020
Time: Noon to 1PM
Other Events of Interest
MIT Enterprise Forum:Once Upon a Time in...Medical Device and Open Source Land
Hear from a medical device innovator (Navin Dewagan), an open source software expert (Matt Jacobs), an open source software attorney (Giovanna Fessenden), and a medical device patent attorney (Alexander Adam) about an effective open source strategy.
When: Oct 14th | Time: 12PM to 1PM | Registration
Open Position
Patent Attorney (Organic Chemistry)
Hamilton, Brook, Smith & Reynolds, P.C., an intellectual property boutique law firm with offices in Boston and Concord, MA, seeks a Patent Prosecution Associate for its Life Sciences team. A Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry or related discipline, J.D. from an accredited law school with admission to at least one state bar, and registration with the USPTO are required. More information and to apply here
Update from Lufthansa / Logan Airport
LH422/423 (BOS-FRA) will remain at 5 weekly flights in September and is planned to return to a daily operation in October. It currently is the only direct flight to Germany out of Logan.

LX54/55 (BOS-ZRH) will return on October 10 (arrival in BOS Thu and Sat | Departure Fri and Sun)

Lufthansa Lounge is open on Lufthansa and Swiss flight-operating days, 4 hours prior to departure. 

All of these announcements are subject to re-evaluation at any point.
In the News | Pressespiegel
As seen in
We can’t tackle the pandemic without figuring out which Covid-19 vaccines work the best
September 24, 2020
"We may have a vaccine for Covid-19 by late this fall. By winter, we could have several. And if all goes as planned, each vaccine will be accompanied by data demonstrating that it reduces the risk of developing Covid-19, the clinical syndrome caused by infection with the novel coronavirus."

As seen in
Live tracker: Coronavirus vaccines to keep an eye on
September 21, 2020
"Below is a small subset of notable vaccine candidates that we believe are of most interest to our readers. The list is not meant to be comprehensive or to indicate any likelihood of success. It reflects a snapshot of companies and efforts that have ties to New England; that have major funding behind them and the ability to move markets; and that reflect a diversity of approaches."

As seen in
Collateral damage’: Germany has limited its coronavirus death toll, but it hasn’t escaped criticism
September 23, 2020
"Germany has been praised for its tackling of the coronavirus pandemic, having managed to keep deaths under 10,000 while its European neighbors have seen much higher fatalities.

But the chief executive of German health-care group Fresenius has warned that the country may have been overly focused on the pandemic, ignoring other areas of business and society that have suffered."

Gelesen in
Christian Drosten rückt Bemerkungen zum Pandemieverlauf zurecht
September 24, 2020
"Vielfach war Christian Drosten am Mittwoch zitiert worden, nun erläuterte der Berliner Virologe seine Äußerung zum Verlauf der Corona-Pandemie. Das Interview sei bereits vor Wochen geführt worden, damals habe er einen sehr weiten Zeitrahmen gespannt, sagte Drosten in einem ZDF-Beitrag. Aus einer Perspektive im Sommer habe er gemeint: Das wird noch mal kommen. "Hier geht es jetzt nicht darum zu warnen vor der nächsten Woche oder so etwas, sondern es geht um eine weltweite Perspektive, und weltweit geht es tatsächlich jetzt richtig los.""

Travel (updated 9/26)
As you may be thinking about summer travel plans, we compiled a few guidelines and restrictions that are in place. Ohne Gewähr: Please note that this may change at any time and please always refer to the most updated information issued by the respective countries.

Travel to Germany:
  • The German government, in coordination with the German states, has announced the easing of border restrictions with neighboring countries. On June 15, travelers already within the Schengen Zone will be able to travel more freely into Germany.
  • At this time, airlines are resuming additional direct flights between the United States and Germany. Please note: travel restrictions are still in effect for travel from the United States to Germany. (Source: U.S. Embassies & Consulates in Germany)
  • U.S. citizens who are not residents of the EU and do not fall into one of several narrow exceptions will be denied entry to Germany. Travelers should be prepared for the possibility that additional travel restrictions will be implemented with little or no advance notice. (Source: U.S. Embassies & Consulates in Germany)
  • In case you enter Germany from abroad and have been in a risk area* for 14 days prior to entry, generally, a 14- day quarantine is mandatory. Exceptions are possible in the case of a negative PCR test for SARS-CoV-2 for a maximum of 48 hours before entry or after entry. Travellers from EU countries, the Schengen area and the United Kingdom are not required to quarantine for 14 days on arrival in Germany unless their entry is from a country with a high infection rate* and the corresponding regulation of the federal state** requires this. (Source: Robert Koch Institut)
  • UPDATE 7/1: As of July 1, the European Union announced the lifting of travel restrictions for some non-E.U. countries (see text here) but restrictions remain in place for the United States. (Source: U.S. Embasssies & Consulates in Germany)
  • UPDATE 7/10: *The Robert Koch Institut has determined that the entire U.S. is considerend a country with a high infection rate, and does not exclude certain states (as it did previously) The list ist being updated daily.
  • UPDATE 8/14: American spouses/family members of German citizens can now enter Germany to reunite with their partners/familys. (Source: Federal Foreign Office)
  • UPDATE 9/25: There will be more

Travel to U.S. from Europe
  • Foreign nationals who have been in any of the following countries during the past 14 days may not enter the United States:
  • European Schengen area Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Monaco, San Marino, Vatican City
  • United Kingdom
  • Republic of Ireland
  • Citizens and lawful permanent residents of the United States, certain family members, and other individuals who meet specified exceptions who have been in one of the countries listed above in the past 14 days will be allowed to enter the United States through one of 15 airports
  • After arriving to the United States from one of these countries, CDC recommends that travelers stay home and monitor their health for 14 days. (Source: CDCUPDATE 6/26: Executive Order "Suspending Entry of Aliens Who Present a Risk to the U.S. Labor Market Following the Coronavirus Outbreak"
UPDATE for Massachusetts as of 7/24: Today, Governor Baker issued a new travel order stating that effective August 1, 2020, all visitors and returning residents entering Massachusetts are required to "Complete the Massachusetts Travel Form prior to arrival, unless you are visiting from a lower-risk state designated by the Department of Public Health; to quarantine for 14 days or produce a negative COVID-19 test result that has been administered up to 72-hours prior to your arrival in Massachusetts. If your COVID-19 test result has not been received prior to arrival, visitors, and residents must quarantine until they receive a negative test result. Failure to comply may result in a $500 fine per day." More information
UPDATE 8/14: "Students traveling from the Schengen Area, the UK, and Ireland with valid F-1 and M-1 visas do not need to contact an embassy or consulate to seek an individual national interest exception to travel." (Source: U.S. Dept. of State)
UPDATE 8/21: Those with valid L-1 visas on 6/24/2020 may be eligible for an NIE:
As a result of recent guidance, many categories of travel that provide a substantial economic benefit to the U.S. economy are eligible for a National Interest Exception (NIE) to the Presidential Proclamation on Suspension of Entry for Nonimmigrants and Certain Additional Persons Who Pose a Risk of Transmitting 2019 Novel Coronavirus (PPNCOV). This includes, but is not limited to investors, technical experts and specialists as well as senior-level managers and executives and their dependents.
To inquire about eligibility and to confirm this information contact a U.S. Consulate in Germany.
UPDATED: Free Covid-19 Testing at Frankfurt Airport

Lufthansa has partnered with Centogene to offer fast PCR Corona tests. The test, certified by the relevant health authorities in Germany, only requires a throat swab and provides results within six hours. The test results are delivered via an app link.

Location: Frankfurt Airport between Terminal 1 and the long-distance railway station (ICE Bahnhof)
Hours: Monday – Sunday: 6 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Registration: via at https://corona.centogene.com
CostStandard Process: 59€ incl. VAT – Results within 12 hours after sample receipt in >98% of cases
Express Process: 139€ incl. VAT – Results within 6 hours after sample receipt in >98% of cases
For an additional charge of 9€, there is the option to add identity verification on to your purchase. Your identification details, including your passport number/travel document details, will be included on the medical report - verifying that the test results belong to you and have not been tampered with.

NEW: Mandatory tests on return to or arrival in Germany from high risk countries
Travellers arriving in Germany from regions with an increased risk of infection will have to undergo a coronavirus test from the beginning of August 2020. The test is free of charge and can be carried out, for example, at test centres at the airports. The obligatory test must be done within a maximum of 72 hours after entering the country. Tests from abroad are accepted, provided they are not older than 48 hours at the time of arrival. (Source: Lufthansa)

Update 9/28: As of September 15th, travelers arriving from high risk countries will continue to have the right to receive a test free of charge. (Source)

Testing is also available at
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GERMAN-AMERICAN BUSINESS COUNCIL of BOSTON
 Email:  info@gabc-boston.org    Web Site: www.gabc-boston.org