Currently only people from “high risk” areas of the UK - Northern Ireland, Scotland, North East England, North West England, Midlands, Yorkshire and the Humber, and Wales - are required to quarantine when arriving in Germany.

But this high risk status will be extended to cover the entire UK from 11.01pm on Friday (23 October) meaning all arriving passengers will have to quarantine on arrival unless they can provide evidence of a negative test taken shortly before they arrive.

“Anyone who has been in the designated high risk areas in the two weeks prior to their arrival in Germany is required to proceed directly to their accommodation and quarantine for 14 days or until they can show evidence of a negative test result,” said the Foreign Office (FCDO) in its updated travel advice.

“Those who can provide evidence of a negative test taken in a European Union member state or a state with comparable quality standards less than 48 hours prior to arrival may be exempted from the requirement to quarantine.

“The German Interior Ministry has confirmed that travellers from the UK are not required to demonstrate a valid reason in order to enter Germany. Standard German entry and immigration rules in place before the Covid-19 outbreak apply.”

Germany’s move to tighten restrictions on UK visitors comes ahead of the UK government’s weekly update to its own travel corridors system which is expected later on Thursday (22 October).