Portugal makes UK travellers quarantine for 14 days if not fully vaccinated - as Merkel launches EU ban bid

Germany is launching a bid to ban British travellers from the EU regardless of whether they’re fully vaccinated
British travellers arriving in Portugal must isolate for 14 days if they’re not fully vaccinated against Covid-19
AP
Leah Sinclair28 June 2021

UK holidaymakers arriving in Portugal who are not fully vaccinated against Covid-19 must quarantine for 14 days on arrival.

Anyone travelling to mainland Portugal by air, land or sea, from Monday, will have to confirm they are fully vaccinated at least two weeks ago or have to isolate.

The new rules were introduced by the Portuguese government and will last until at least July 11.

The government state that quarantine can be "at home or a place indicated by health authorities".

They said the decision “may be revised at any time, depending on the evolution of the epidemiological situation”.

The rule does not apply in Madeira, which has been moved back to the UK’s green list.

Britain joins the likes of South Africa, Brazil, India and Nepal, who were already on Portugal’s quarantine list of countries.

It was removed on June 3 by transport secretary Grant Shapps, who said there was concern over a “Nepal mutation of the so-called Indian variant”.

It is currently on the UK’s amber travel list, which means travellers also have to quarantine for 10 days when they arrive back in Britain.

The Maltese government will impose the new restrictions from June 30 in response to rising cases of the Delta variant in the UK.

It means those who have not yet had two doses of a coronavirus vaccine will have to quarantine for up to 14 days on arrival, according to the Times of Malta.

The Maltese government said UK arrivals have to present a vaccine certificate, recognised by the Superintendence of Health, to ensure the health and safety of both residents and tourists.

The law will take effect from July 1 and anyone who has been in Britain for longer than two hours will be restricted from boarding passenger flights bound for Hong Kong.

“What we are going to do is apply to British tourists who go to the Balearic islands the same requirements we make of other European citizens,” Mr Sanchez told Cadena SER radio.

“They will need a full dose of vaccine or a negative PCR,” he added, referring to a type of test for the coronavirus.

It comes as Germany will on Monday launch an attempt to ban British travellers from the EU, including those who are double jabbed.

German chancellor Angela Merkel previously called for a European Union-wide quarantine on British tourists, with Environment Secretary George Eustice criticising the move as “not justified.”

According to the Times, Ms Merkel wants to designate Britain as a “country of concern” due to the spread of the Delta variant.

The paper reports that senior European and national officials on the EU’s integrated political crisis response committee will discuss the plans.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson will meet Ms Merkel at Chequers next Friday, in a bid to persuade her to back down.

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