England to end quarantine for more than 50 countries
England’s coronavirus quarantine rules for more than 50 countries including Germany, France, Spain and Italy is to end, the British government said, allowing millions of holidaymakers to head to Europe’s beaches for a summer break.
From July 10, passengers visiting places viewed as low risk will not need to self-isolate when they return, while those from higher risk countries will have to quarantine for 14-days under a rule which has infuriated airlines and the travel industry.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government has struggled to scrap the rules and has so far failed to convince the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to immediately follow suit.
“There will be a list of 50 plus countries and if you add in the overseas territories, 60 something or other that we will publish later today,” Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said.
“Today marks the next step in
carefully reopening our great nation,” he said yesterday.
The full list has not yet been published by the government which has been debating for days how to lift the quarantine.
New Zealand is included in the list as are the Vatican and Britain’s overseas territories such as the Falkland Islands and Gibraltar.
Britain’s foreign ministry will also set out exemptions from its global advisory against “all but essential” international travel from July 4, a key to normal insurance being valid.
The government said it expected countries included on the quarantine-free list for England would reciprocate by relaxing their own travel restrictions. —