Stanley Johnson flies to Greece to 'Covid-proof' villa amid FCO warning against all but 'essential' travel

Prime Minister Boris Johnson's father has flown to Greece amid Government advice for Brits to avoid "all but essential international travel" because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Stanley Johnson documented his journey on Instagram, sharing a picture taken from a plane and an image of himself clad in a face mask at an airport.

The 79-year-old was forced to fly via Bulgaria after departing from England as Greece are currently not allowing direct flights from the UK due to the Covid-19 crisis.

Speaking from the balcony of his villa upon arrival in northern Greece on Wednesday night, Mr Johnson said in a video shared on Instagram: 'I'm in Pelion on essential business trying to Covid-proof my property in view of the upcoming letting season.

"I need to set up distancing measures at the property because they're taking it very seriously here."

"All they wanted to know where I was coming from and what I was doing. Then I had my temperature taken and was swabbed twice.

"We must get these air bridges set up as soon as possible. From what I've seen the arrival of the British will not be a danger to the Greeks because they're so careful here."

Mr Johnson's trip came amid reports the UK Government is preparing to exempt scores of countries from the existing 14-day travel quarantine regime.

Currently, the majority of people arriving into the UK from anywhere apart from the Republic of Ireland have to self-isolate for two weeks as part of restrictions rolled out to curtail the spread of Covid-19.

Some of the countries expected to feature on the Government's list, which is likely to be published by the end of this week, still have restrictions on people travelling in from the UK, however.

The move to effectively introduce a targeted quarantine marks a change in approach from officials, who had earlier mooted the idea of creating reciprocal "air bridges" with a relatively small number of other, mainly European, nations.

The Foreign & Commonwealth Office currently advises British nationals against all but essential international travel.

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