Portugal remains on England’s 'green list' for quarantine-free travel

Portugal is to remain on England’s “green list” for quarantine-free travel despite Scotland and Wales re-imposing a travel ban because of its rising Covid-19 infection rate.

Grant Shapps, the Transport Secretary, announced On Thursday that no countries would be added or removed from England’s “green list” this week, even though Portugal’s rate has risen to 23 cases per 100,000 of the population above the normal trigger point for quarantine.

The surprise move followed widespread speculation that Portugal would have quarantine re-imposed after it passed the threshold of 20 cases per 100,000.

It is likely to reinforce calls for a comprehensive Covid testing regime for passengers to replace quarantine, a central tenet of the Telegraph’s Test4Travel campaign.

Hundreds of holidaymakers in Portugal are thought to have booked flights back to the UK in anticipation of avoiding the normal 4am Saturday deadline when quarantine would have been re-imposed forcing them to self-isolate for 14 days.

It leaves the Government facing a new backlash from angry holidaymakers over the confusion caused by its policy, which was intensified on Thursday night when Wales announced it was adding Portugal to its quarantine list, as well as six Greek islands.

Earlier this week, Wales required quarantine for travellers from the Greek island of Zante after a TUI flight imported cases to the principality.

Scotland introduced self-isolation for arrivals from the whole of Greece, and followed suit on Portugal on Thursday evening.

Greece remains on England’s “green list” allowing quarantine free travel.

There was no immediate explanation from the Department for Transport (DfT) over why it appeared to have gone against its self-declared threshold of 20 cases per 100,000 for reimposing quarantine on Portugal.

It was thought officials believed the data was “inconclusive” and wanted to give Portugal another week to reduce its rate, which is above Netherlands and Austria, both quarantined countries.

Mr Shapps said: “We continue to keep the Travel Corridor list under constant review and won't hesitate to remove countries if needed. However, there are no English additions or removals on Thursday.

“Nonetheless, holidaymakers are reminded - 14-day quarantine countries can and do change at very short notice.”

One Government source was quoted as saying: "The people who've been speculating about Portugal going on the quarantine list say the government's decision not to put it on the list is confusing for people, because there has been speculation about it (by them)."

Last week Switzerland, Jamaica and the Czech Republic were stripped from the “safe” travel list. France, Spain, Croatia, Trinidad and Tobago, Austria, Monaco, Malta, Turks & Caicos and Aruba, Andorra, Belgium and the Bahamas, Serbia and Luxembourg have also previously been removed.

Paul Charles, chief executive of travel consultancy The PC Agency, said the “off-on” decisions on quarantine caused uncertainty for holidaymakers as well as the industry, and underlined the need for a comprehensive testing regime on arrival to allow travellers to sidestep the 14-day self-isolation.

Searches for flights to Portugal soared after it was taken off the quarantine list, with EasyJet flights sold out by the weekend of August 22. Jet2 added extra seats to Faro from Monday August 24.

Since then cases have climbed, particularly in the North including Porto and the Douro Valley, while the Algarve this weekend reported 37 new cases, its worst daily result since lockdown, off the back of an outbreak at a football club.

The Portuguese Government accepted one reason was the opening of the country to tourists as it announced the country would return to a “state of contingency” from September 15 when it will reimpose restrictions including limits on gatherings of more than 10 people.