Frequently asked questions about Covid-19

For events in Frankfurt, the regulations of the current Coronavirus regulations instituted by the State of Hessen (initially applies until 02.04..2022) as well as specifications of the health authorities of the City of Frankfurt am Main apply.

Trade visitor fairs where only trade visitors are present are considered official / business events. They are allowed to take place without access regulations and capacity restrictions. However, there is a general obligation to wear masks indoors.

All other events (for example consumer trade fairs or concerts)

• from 500 participants can take place under „2G+“ conditions,
• less then 500 participants can take place under „3G“ conditions.

Please check our websites regularly for the currently valid regulations or contact our Corona Health & Safety Line at +49 69 75 75 - 66 99.

"3G" = All participants of the event are

• vaccinated or
• recovered or
• tested negative for SARS-CoV2.

Indoors, mouth/nose protection must be worn and sufficient distance kept.

Currently, the following test evidence is accepted under the "3G" scheme:

• Rapid antigen tests that are not older than 24 hours or
• PCR tests that are not older than 48 hours.

The tests must have been prepared by a certified testing facility (test centre, pharmacy, etc...).
ATTENTION: The time of validity of the tests is counted from the time of sample collection, not from the time of result transmission.

"2G+" = All participants of the event are

• vaccinated and additionally tested negative for SARS-CoV2 with a rapid antigen test or
• recovered and additionally tested negative for SARS-CoV2 with a rapid antigen test.

People with (third) booster vaccination do not need a test.
The tests must have been prepared by a certified testing facility (test centre, pharmacy, etc...). Self-tests are not accepted.

Children and adolescents under the age of 18 and people who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons are excluded.

People who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons must be able to show a medical certificate and have tested negative for SARS-CoV2 with a rapid antigen test from a certified testing facility.

Children and adolescents under the age of 18 can prove that they have tested negative for SARS-CoV2 by showing their school test booklet. If such test evidence is not available, individuals must test negative for SARS-CoV2 using a rapid antigen test from a certified testing facility.

Indoors, mouth/nose protection must be worn and sufficient distance must be kept.

An up-to-date overview of the access rules at "2G+" can be found on the website of the State of Hessen.

Five vaccines are currently licensed in the EU. These are:

• Comirnaty (manufacturer: BioNTech)
• Spikevax (manufacturer: Moderna)
• Vaxzevria (manufacturer: AstraZeneca)
• COVID-19 Vaccine Janssen (manufacturer: Janssen-Cilag / Johnson & Johnson)
• Nuvaxovid (manufacturer: Novavax)

An overview of the approved vaccines is available on the website of the Paul Ehrlich Institute (PEI):

• List of vaccines authorised in the EU on the website of the PEI

ATTENTION: Vaccines authorised in the EU may have different product names in other countries. For this purpose, an Excel list of marketing authorisations and vaccine product names in third countries is available for download on the PEI website.

• List of marketing authorisations and vaccine product names in third countries (Excel)

You are fully vaccinated when you have been vaccinated with a vaccine licensed in the EU. The vaccination must have taken place at least 14 days ago and the second dose must have been administered if the vaccine is scheduled for two doses.

People who have been vaccinated with a vaccine that is not licensed in the EU are considered unvaccinated. This also applies to third vaccinations with an authorised vaccine after the first and second vaccinations have been given with an unauthorised vaccine.

The vaccination certificate must be shown in paper form or in digital form in one of the following languages:
German, English, Spanish, French or Italian.
Ideally, the proof of complete vaccination is available as a digital EU DCC certificate.

For non-EU citizens: The vaccination certificate must be available in one of the above-mentioned languages and it must show with which vaccine the person was vaccinated and since when the full vaccination protection has existed.

Unvaccinated persons

For "recovered" status, the infection must have occurred at least 28 days and at most 90 days ago (since the date of the positive test for SARS-CoV2). After 90 days, the recovered status expires.

If the infection occurred more than 90 days ago, convalescents only need one vaccination with an EU-approved vaccine to be considered fully vaccinated.

Vaccinated persons

For "recovered" status, the infection must have occurred at least 28 days and at most 180 days ago (since the date of the positive test for SARS-CoV2). After 180 days, the recovered status expires.

Proof of recovery must be in paper or digital form in one of the following languages:
English, Spanish, French, German or Italian.
Ideally, the proof of recovery is available as a digital EU DCC certificate.

For "3G" and "2G+" events, the following test evidence currently applies:

• Rapid antigen tests that are not older than 24 hours or
• PCR tests that are not older than 48 hours.

The tests must have been prepared by a certified testing facility (test centre, pharmacy, etc...).
Self-tests will not be accepted.

ATTENTION: The time of validity of the tests is counted from the time the sample is taken, not from the time the result is transmitted.

Children and adolescents under 18 years of age can prove that they have tested negative for SARS-CoV2 by means of the school's test booklet. In the absence of such test evidence, individuals must have tested negative for SARS-CoV2 using a rapid antigen test from a certified testing facility.

There is no test centre at the exhibition ground itself.
There are test centres around the exhibition grounds that are operated by private companies.
However, fair participants should come to the fair already tested to avoid long waiting times.

You can search for test centres in Frankfurt and the surrounding area on the following websites:

• https://www.corona-test-hessen.de/?action=Karte
  (please enter the postcode 60327 to search for test centres around the exhibition grounds)
• https://map.schnelltestportal.de
  (please enter the postcode 60327 to search for test centres around the exhibition grounds)

A distinction is made between rapid tests and PCR tests. Both are recognised for access to the fair. The results of the rapid tests are available on site after 15 minutes. The test results are valid for 24 hours from the time the sample is taken, not from the time the result is transmitted. Currently, rapid antigen tests in certified test centres in Germany are free of charge. PCR tests cost between 50 and 100 euros depending on the time until the result is transmitted (these prices vary depending on the test centre). The test result is valid for 48 hours from the time the sample is taken, not from the time the result is transmitted.

Event takes place under "3G" rules:

All participants of the event must be vaccinated or recovered or tested negative for SARS-CoV2. The following documents must be presented at the entrance to the exhibition ground:

• a vaccination certificate or proof of recovery or a negative test certificate for SARS-CoV2
• a valid exhibitor's pass or a valid visitor's ticket
• a official identification document in the original to check the proof of identity
  

The documents should be available digitally or with a scannable QR code, if possible.

Messe Frankfurt will not grant admission to the exhibition grounds without presentation the above documents.

Event takes place under "2G+" rules:

All participants of the event must be vaccinated or recovered and additionally tested negative for SARS-CoV2. The following documents must be presented at the entrance to the exhibition ground:

• a vaccination certificate or proof of recovery
• a negative test certificate for SARS-CoV2
• a valid exhibitor's pass or a valid visitor's ticket
• a official identification document in the original to check the proof of identity
  

The documents should be available digitally or with a scannable QR code, if possible.

Messe Frankfurt will not grant admission to the exhibition grounds without presentation the above documents.

Persons vaccinated with a vaccine that is not licensed in the EU are considered unvaccinated at events taking place under "2G+" rules and are not permitted entry.

At trade fairs exclusively attended by trade visitors and taking place under "3G" rules, these persons would have to prove that they have tested negative for SARS-CoV2 each time they enter.
The tests must have been prepared by a certified testing facility (test centre, pharmacy, etc...).
Self-tests will not be accepted.

Trade fair tickets are excluded from return and exchange as long as the corresponding event is not cancelled.

Here is also a link to the General Terms and Conditions of Online Ticketing (regulation on exchange under section 3. "Order confirmation and invoicing", last paragraph).

Currently, any time an event is conducted indoors ("3G" or "2G+"), a medical mouth and nose protection must be worn and sufficient distance must be maintained.

The SARS-CoV-2 Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance (only avaiable in German) applies during set-up and dismantling and is supplemented by the rules and regulations for the prevention of infection in the workplace in accordance with Section 28 of the German Protection against Infection Act (IfSG) (only avaiable in German). A face mask must be worn in public areas of the buildings (aisles, foyers, entrances, toilets etc.). 

Stand catering and show cooking will be possible in 2022, taking into account the protection and hygiene regulations that will then apply.  From today's point of view, food and drinks served at the stand, for example, can only be consumed there and not taken elsewhere.

As in the catering industry, service staff will wear mouth and nose protection. Distance regulations of at least 1.50 m must be observed.

Messe Frankfurt has a well-established and proven emergency management system. In addition to the police and fire brigade, the OSC also accommodates the German Red Cross as well as the security and public order services. Several treatment rooms and emergency care equipment are available for medical emergencies. For large trade fairs, several doctors and paramedics are available at the OSC who are trained in dealing with infectious diseases.

Further information is available on our website: https://www.messefrankfurt.com/frankfurt/en/company/corporate-social-responsibility/security.html

Messe Frankfurt publishes the latest information on its websites and is also available to you directly with telephone hotline contacts - in German and English.

Please check the Messe Frankfurt Health and Safety Site on the internet at www.messefrankfurt.com/hygiene or, in an emergency, call the Messe Frankfurt Corona Healthand Safety Line on +49 (0) 69 75 75-66 99 (Mon-Fri 8 am - 4 pm). All information can also be found on the website and app of the trade fair you plan to attend.

Additional information is available on the websites of the German and local authorities.

Here are the links to the info page of the city of Frankfurt am Main in English:

• https://frankfurt.de/service-und-rathaus/verwaltung/aemter-und-institutionen/gesundheitsamt/information-about-coronavirus-sars-cov-2/curent-status-update

General information on the situation regarding SARS-COV-2 in Germany is provided by the website of the Federal Government: https://www.bundesregierung.de/breg-de/aktuelles/fallzahlen-coronavirus-1738210

Depending on the country of origin, different travel regulations apply when entering and returning to Germany.

To check the applicable rules before travelling, we recommend using the following tool on Fraport's website with information on entry regulations to Frankfurt and all over the world:

• Travel Restrictions and Information on Visas

According to the Corona-FAQ of the Federal Ministry of the Interior (only avaiable in German), under the question "Which skilled workers and highly qualified employees are allowed to enter from outside Europe?", business travellers can travel to Germany to attend trade fairs.

For this purpose

• the exhibitors have to be able to present a paper of participation in a trade fair event or
• the visitors must have an admission ticket to the trade fair event and confirmation from at least one exhibiting company that an appointment has been made for a business meeting on site
• the exhibitors and visitors from countries subject to visa requirements must have a valid visa (whereby employees of exhibiting companies are exempt from the visa fee according to the German Trade Fair Association AUMA).

Due to the Corona Virus Entry Ordinance, travellers must observe the obligation for digital entry registration, the quarantine regulations depending on the risk classification of the country of origin as well as the general obligation to provide proof of a negative corona test or proof of vaccination or recovery.

ATTENTION: Due to the dynamic situation, changes may occur on a daily basis, which should be taken into account. The websites of the competent authorities should be checked regularly for changes to the regulations.

Information on entry requirements for participants in trade fair events is available on the website of the Association of the German Trade Fair Industry (AUMA) at https://www.auma.de/en/exhibit/legal-matters/entry-requirements.

At the Digital Registration on Entry portal http://www.einreiseanmeldung.de you can check online whether the country of origin from which you are travelling to Germany is a high-risk area or virus variant area and whether you have to go into quarantine when entering Germany.

Whether you are entering from a high-risk area or a virus variant area can be consulted in the list of the Robert Koch Institute: https://www.rki.de/DE/Content/InfAZ/N/Neuartiges_Coronavirus/Risikogebiete_neu.html (english PDF available at the website).

The applicable travel regulations for the return journey should be checked via the information services of the respective countries. In order to check the applicable rules before travelling, it is advisable to use the following tool on Fraport's website with information on worldwide entry regulations: Travel Restrictions and Information on Visas.

ATTENTION: Due to the dynamic situation, changes may occur on a daily basis, which should be taken into account. The websites of the competent authorities should be checked regularly for changes to the regulations.