- What to do about your holiday to the Balearics
- The countries on England’s red list
- The amber list countries
- What to know before quarantining after a holiday
- Sign up to the Telegraph Travel newsletter
Airlines have accused the Government of a ”double standard” in its approach to international travel after Grant Shapps, the Transport Secretary, announced on Wednesday that the Balearic Islands would move to amber after just three weeks on the green list.
Johan Lundgren, chief executive of easyJet, said that the UK’s Covid-19 infection rates were rising as much of Europe’s remained lower.
“So we cannot understand why the Government is going to allow people to go to a nightclub – without a mask or social distancing – and yet is not comfortable with people going to the beaches of Europe, where the infection rates are lower than in the UK,” he added.
“Yet again we see this double standard where travel is treated differently to the domestic economy.”
Younger adults will mainly be affected as the Balearic’s amber-listing, which comes into effect at 4am on July 19, because it coincides with a rule change that will allow fully-vaccinated Britons and under 18s to return from amber list destinations without facing self-isolation.
Airlines UK chief executive Tim Alderslade said the latest traffic light update reinforced the belief that the UK’s framework for international travel “is not working as it was designed to” and that the Government is “condemning international travel to the status of second-class citizen”.
Scroll down for the latest travel updates.
Which countries are on the travel green list?
July 19 may bring a major rule change: fully-vaccinated Britons and under-18s will be exempt from self-isolation on return from amber list destinations.
However, those who haven’t received both jabs are still limited to the green list for quarantine-free trips.
Overseas trips ‘will pose risks to you and others’, says Drakeford
Mark Drakeford has also urged people to take a holiday at home and not travel abroad this summer.
“Our advice to people in Wales hasn’t changed. This is the year to take your holiday at home,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. He added:
Visiting other countries, even on the amber list, will pose risks to you and to others.
Risks of re-importing the virus into Wales, risks of new variants that are occurring in other parts of the world could make their way back to the UK.
Unless you have a compelling reason to travel abroad, surely this year is the year to enjoy everything that Wales has to offer.
That’s been our message to people in Wales throughout.
Drakeford: New travel rules risk ‘re-importation’ of coronavirus
Mark Drakeford said the UK Government’s changes to rules on international quarantine ran the risk of “re-importation” of coronavirus back into the country and that the previous regime was “more sensible and proportionate”.
“I do regret the fact that the Prime Minister has decided that people returning from amber list countries do not require to self-isolate,” the Welsh First Minister told BBC Breakfast.
“I think it runs the risk of re-importation of the virus into the United Kingdom, I think it runs the risk of new variants cropping up elsewhere in the world coming into the UK and into Wales.
“I think the previous regime was a more sensible and proportionate one.”
Balearic Island’s Covid-19 health record defended
Most new cases of Covid-19 in the Spanish archipelago are among younger age groups and just 3.85 per cent of occupied hospital beds are Covid-related, according to data from Spain’s Ministry of Health.
Credit:
Getty
Javier Piñanes, director of the Spanish Tourist Office in the UK, said:
We must respect the decision from the British government. We would highlight however that, according to Spain’s Ministry of Health, in the Balearic Islands, 3.85% of hospital beds are COVID related (based on data published on 13 July). The majority of new cases are among younger age groups, specifically 12 to 19 and 20 to 29 year olds and despite the increasing COVID rates, the hospitals in the Balearic Island archipelago are not under pressure. Likewise, there have been no fatalities reported due to COVID-19 in the Balearic Islands in the last seven days and there are strict safety and hygiene processes and measures in place.
The Balearic Islands continue to be a safe tourism destination that strictly adhere to safety protocols that have been established by the authorities. British visitors remain welcome in the Balearic Islands and Spain. More details on the entry requirements and any regional restrictions are available via our Travel Safe website (travelsafe.spain).
Here’s a recap of Wednesday’s headlines
- Balearic Islands and British Virgin Islands will be added to amber list
- Croatia, Bulgaria, Taiwan and Hong Kong will move to the green or green watchlists
- Cuba, Indonesia, Myanmar and Sierra Leone to join red list
- Wales to follow England and Scotland and waive isolation for amber list returnees
- Malta permits entry to Britons who received Indian-made Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine
Now onto today’s news.