FROM Friday people in Scotland will be able to travel to 39 countries without needing to self-isolate for 14 days upon their return.
However, Spain and Serbia will not be included on the list of destinations for which this will be possible given recent outbreaks in the countries.
Nicola Sturgeon explained that the Scottish Government estimates that the prevalence of coronavirus in Spain is less than twice the rate of the UK’s as a whole, but more than 10 times the estimated rate for Scotland.
The First Minister said excluding Spain from the list had been a “very difficult decision”, and she will be working with airlines and travel firms to see what other mitigation routes can be used rather than quarantining arrivals.
The low-risk countries Scotland can travel from without quarantining on arrival include Germany, Austria and Malta.
Countries classed as medium-risk by the UK Government include France, Greece, Netherlands and Poland. Spain was on the UK Government’s list of “medium-risk” countries, but Sturgeon said she cannot lift restrictions “because of the significantly high prevalence there”.
Sturgeon said she hoped to add Spain and Serbia to the exemption list later this month when measures are next reviewed.
The First Minister stressed quarantine rules cannot be avoided by flying to and from England, as sample checks are being carried out to ensure people do self-isolate if entering Scotland from countries not exempt.
The list of countries where quarantine is not needed is Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba, Croatia, Curaçao, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Faroe Islands, Fiji, Finland, France, French Polynesia, Germany, Greece, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Malta, Mauritius, Monaco, Netherlands, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Réunion, San Marino, Seychelles, South Korea, St Barthélemy, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Pierre and Miquelon, Switzerland, Taiwan, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Vatican City, Vietnam.
The UK Government excluded Portugal, Russia, USA and Sweden.
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