LONDON (Reuters) – Britain removed Portugal from its COVID-19 quarantine list on Thursday, but said rising infections elsewhere meant travellers arriving from Croatia, Austria and Trinidad and Tobago would have to undergo a 14-day quarantine period.
Transport minister Grant Shapps announced the changes on Twitter – the latest in a series of adjustments on quarantine policy as Britain seeks to prevent importing new infections from overseas and limit domestic spread of the virus.
“Data … shows we can now add Portugal to those countries INCLUDED in Travel Corridors,” he said.
Portugal, a popular tourist destination for Britons, has previously expressed frustration that Britain had refused to drop its quarantine requirements.
Shapps warned that policy was constantly under review and could change quickly, warning that people should only travel if they were content to quarantine themselves if the rules changed during their holiday.
He also announced visitors from some countries which had previously been declared safe would now need to quarantine for 14-days after they arrive, starting from 0300 GMT on Saturday.
“Data shows we need to remove Croatia, Austria and Trinidad & Tobago from our list of #coronavirus Travel Corridors to keep infection rates DOWN,” he said.
(Reporting by William James; editing by Stephen Addison)
