Quarantine confusion reigns as holidays take off

Fifteen weeks after lockdown began in the UK, British holidaymakers are now venturing abroad in significant numbers for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic began.

But with no agreement over quarantine rules among the administrations in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and local lockdowns springing up around the world, confusion reigns over travel restrictions.

On Friday, 10 July, travellers returning from 74 countries and territories to England will no longer need to self-isolate for 14 days.

But the devolved administrations in Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast have yet to decide on their lists of exemptions.

Bosses at Edinburgh airport, the busiest outside England, have accused Scotland’s first minister of “dithering” over returning holidaymakers.

Passengers departing for France, Spain and the Netherlands from Edinburgh airport this morning are uncertain about whether they will be required to spend two weeks in self-isolation when they return to Scotland.

Nicola Sturgeon said the Scottish Government will make a decision on the issue “as soon as we can” – with the exemptions likely to be in place to take effect on Friday.

The hold-up appears to be waiting for up-to-date data from countries regarded as marginal cases.

Ian Blackford, the SNP leader in Westminster, said: “The prevalence rate in Scotland is about one-fifth of the rate in England.”

The Scottish Conservative leader, Jackson Carlaw, said: “Nicola Sturgeon is dragging her feet on this issue and that's not good enough for hard-working Scots who deserve a break.”

Even though the UK government has removed its “double-lock” and is now permitting restriction-free travel to some countries, host nations are not all welcoming British holidaymakers.

The Greek government has confirmed that flights from the UK will be allowed to resume from 15 July. Arrivals from most other European locations began on 1 July.

But Cyprus will not allow anyone who has been in the UK in the past 14 days to enter the country, even via a third country such as Greece, for the rest of the month. The Foreign Office says: “The Republic of Cyprus government have indicated that this may change from 1 August.”

Malta insists that arrivals from the UK self-isolate for 14 days, but that rule is expected to lift on 15 July.

In Dublin, the cabinet is discussing whether to extend its 14-day self-isolation policy for arriving travellers beyond 9 July. The quarantine rules – which do not apply to passengers travelling to or from Northern Ireland – may continue in force until 20 July.

Meanwhile there are signs of increasing volatility in lockdown rules as measures are eased worldwide.

In Spain, the areas around the Catalan city of Lleida and the Galician town of La Marina have been closed.

Non-residents are being invited to leave Lleida, but the only travel allowed in and out of La Marina is restricted to workers.

Neither area is on the tourist trail for British holidaymakers.

Localised restrictions are likely to become more common as lockdown measures are eased, but are not expected to be as chaotic as they were when coronavirus was taking hold in late February and March.