Five more countries added to the Government's quarantine exemption list

People arriving in the UK from Estonia, Latvia, Slovenia, Slovakia and St Vincent and the Grenadines will no longer have to self-isolate for 14 days.

As of Tuesday, July 28, the five countries have been added to the UK’s list of destinations which are ‘safe’ to travel to.

However, the Government said anyone who arrived in England from these countries before Tuesday would still need to self–isolate.

More than 50 countries are now exempt from quarantine measures after being deemed to pose a reduced risk from Covid-19.

It comes days after Spain was removed from the list amid fears the country was experiencing a second wave of the virus.

The decision was announced on Saturday, July 25, less than five hours before it came into force.

Travel giants TUI and Jet 2 have since suspended all flights to mainland Spain and the Balearic and Canary Islands.

People have been allowed to travel abroad since lockdown restrictions were eased earlier this month.

And the introduction of ‘air bridges’ has meant that holidaymakers travelling to certain countries don’t need to quarantine on their return.

But on Tuesday (July 28) Local Government minister Simon Clarke said that all those who travel abroad should have an ‘understanding’ that they may be asked to self-isolate when they return.

He told the BBC that the Government must reserve the right to take action to keep the public safe during the pandemic and that holidaymakers had to accept a ‘degree of uncertainty’.

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