People travelling from Spain to England will not have to submit themselves to a 14-day quarantine from next Friday, 10 July, Transport secretary Grant Shapps has announced.
Spain has been included on a list of 59 countries and 14 British overseas territories considered "lower risk", alongside Italy, France, Belgium and Germany. "Passengers returning to or visiting the UK from certain destinations will no longer need to be isolated on arrival from 10 July," Shapps said on Friday. This does not apply, however, if they have travelled via a place which is not exempt
However, while Shapps referred to the UK, at present the devolved governments in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales are yet to decide whether to ease travel restrictions.
A range of factors
Shapps explained that the decision is based on "a range of factors" including "the prevalence of coronavirus, the number of new cases and the potential disease trajectory" in the destinations concerned.
However, he warned that the exempted countries and territories would be "under constant review" and that if the risks to public health in the UK increased, the 14-day quarantine measures could be reintroduced "to help stop the spread of the disease" in the country.