The transport secretary has said that there will be no changes to the current travel corridors for England ‘today’, despite Wales introducing quarantine requirements for mainland Portugal and a number of Greek islands.
On Twitter, Grant Shapps warned destinations could still be added or removed from the government’s ‘safe lists’ “at very short notice”.
Shapps’ tweets followed Scotland’s implementation of quarantine measures on arrivals from Greece, which were announced on Tuesday night and were followed by Wales asking those returning from the Greek island of Zante to self-isolate for 14 days.
Earlier on Thursday, health secretary Matt Hancock told Sky News that he expected an announcement on whether Portugal would be subject to restrictions on Friday. In previous weeks, the government has made announcements on Thursdays.
Both Portugal and Greece have been widely touted as possible removals from the government’s ‘safe lists’ this week.
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Shapps tweeted: “We continue to keep the Travel Corridor list under constant review & won’t hesitate to remove countries if needed. However, there are no English additions or removals today. Nonetheless, holidaymakers are reminded – 14-day quarantine countries can & do change at very short notice”.
We continue to keep the Travel Corridor list under constant review & won’t hesitate to remove countries if needed. However, there are no English additions or removals today.
Nonetheless, holidaymakers are reminded – 14-day quarantine countries can & do change at very short notice— Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP (@grantshapps) September 3, 2020
He added that factors taken into account by the government and Joint Biosecurity Council (JBS) include Covid-19 prevalence; the level and rate of change; extent of in-country tests, regime and test positivity; extent of contained outbreak as opposed to general transmission; government actions and other epidemiological information in destinations.
Travel Corridor factors taken into account by JBC & Ministers inc: COVID-19 prevalence; level & rate of change; extent of in-country tests, regime & test positivity; extent of contained outbreak as opposed to general transmission; govt actions & other epidemiological information.
— Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP (@grantshapps) September 3, 2020