Following huge behind-scenes pressure, Portugal is set to be removed from the UK’s travel ban ‘red list’ on Monday.
British tabloid Daily Mail has broken the news this morning , saying it means “arrivals from Portugal will not have to go into quarantine at hotels for 11 day upon landing”.
The decision also means Brits can at last start planning summer holidays and trips here with a greater degree of confidence – albeit that pandemic-led ‘rules’ in UK prohibit ‘non-essential’ foreign travel until “at least May 17”, and Portugal will require proof from visitors of either immunity conferred by a vaccine, or a negative Covid test on arrival.
Today’s news follows a similar announcement yesterday by authorities in Germany which are lifting their travel restrictions on arrivals from Portugal on Sunday.
In both cases, the countries blocked travel from Portugal on the basis that variants were in circulation here that could have compromised the effect of vaccines.
Portugal’s vastly improved epidemiological situation has now reduced the need for these restrictions although all travellers will have to comply with ‘sanitary regulations’ in order to move from country to country.
Reacting to the news, campaigner for summer travel and chief executive of travel consultancy The PC agency Paul Charles was delighted, stressing that it “paves the way for smoother travel from May onwards.
“Portugal has done a good job at reducing rates”, he said, adding that “the likes of Italy and Greece need to get a grip on their rates over the next month if they are to have a good summer.”
