Fears for holidaymakers as Spain could move to 'amber plus' travel quarantine list next week

28 July 2021, 08:22 | Updated: 28 July 2021, 08:30

Those travelling to Spain could face tougher travel restrictions due to fears over growing Covid cases.

Brits could be forced to quarantine if they're heading to Spain this summer under new rules.

The country is currently on the UK’s ‘amber list’, meaning double jabbed holidaymakers don’t have to isolate when they return.

But reports suggest it could replace France on the ‘amber plus’ list as early as next week due to concerns over rising cases of the Beta Covid variant.

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This would mean travellers who are fully vaccinated would still need to quarantine when they return to the UK.

A source told the Daily Mail the holiday hotspot was being ‘closely monitored’, adding: "The situation in Spain is beginning to feel a lot like the build-up to the decision on France.

"The Department of Health are getting very jumpy about the number of Beta cases in parts of the country.

“We're not talking about the main tourist hotspots, but that might not make any difference – it didn't with France."

It was previously suggested Italy could also be added to the ‘amber plus’ list, as well as Greece, while France could be moved down to ‘amber’.

Meanwhile, the news comes amid reports that England is set to re-open its borders to fully vaccinated travellers from the EU and the US.

A review of the border rules is due by 31 July, with the isolation exemption likely to be discussed by ministers today.

Currently, people who have been fully vaccinated in the UK do not have to quarantine when travelling from places which are on the amber list, but the rules aren’t the same for those who have been vaccinated outside the UK.

There has been a push from the travel industry to relax the rules for travellers from the EU and US to allow expats and tourists to visit the UK.

Boris Johnson urges young people over the age of 18 to get vaccinated

What is the ‘amber plus’ list?

The new category, which was created on 16 July, is somewhere between amber and red.

It was created especially for travel to France, as ministers were concerned over the rise in Beta infections (the South African variant).

It means that holidaymakers must self-isolate for 10 days and take two tests if they are returning from France, regardless of whether they’ve been fully vaccinated or not.

A government spokesperson said: “The Joint Biosecurity Centre has assessed that France is a high-risk Covid-19 destination due to the circulation of variants of concern, most notably the Beta variant, which presents the greatest risk for UK vaccine escape.

“With England entering step four of the roadmap, and restrictions easing for double vaccinated travellers, the government’s top priority is to stop the spread of Covid-19, including protecting our borders from the threat of variants.

“The decision to add countries to the red, amber or green lists is made jointly by ministers, informed by the latest scientific data and public health advice and taking into account a range of factors.”