Covid: Balearics and Malta added to NI and Scotland’s green lists

The Balearic Islands, Malta, Madeira and Barbados are among the places being added to Northern Ireland’s and Scotland’s green travel lists.

From 04:00 on 30 June, people entering Scotland and Northern Ireland from these places do not have to quarantine.

The publication of the lists comes as an announcement is due from the UK transport secretary.

Earlier, Boris Johnson said there was a “real opportunity” to open travel this summer for those who have had two jabs.

However, the prospect of European holidays could face another hurdle after German Chancellor Angela Merkel suggested all EU countries should make British travellers quarantine on arrival to slow the spread of the Delta variant.

The destinations added to the green lists from 04:00 BST on 30 June are:

The places added to the red lists for the same time are:

Those travelling to Northern Ireland and Scotland from these countries will need to quarantine in a hotel for 10 days.

Currently, people travelling from the UK to Greece, Spain and Portugal are not required to quarantine.

Those going to Italy have to self-isolate for five days then take a test, while fully-vaccinated UK visitors to France can enter without quarantining.

The travel rules are broadly the same between the UK nations and previous changes to the lists have been adopted by all four nations.

Travel bosses have been calling for the green list to be expanded and for an exemption to quarantine for fully-vaccinated people from amber list countries.

Most holiday hotspots are currently on the amber list, meaning travellers returning to the UK have to self-isolate for 10 days, as well as pay for tests.

Speaking earlier about the prospect of a change to travel rules, Mr Johnson said: “The most important thing is that we think double jabs do offer a good way forward, we think they offer the hope of travel this summer.

“More than 60% of our population have now had two jabs, I think 83% have had one jab, we’re really getting through it now. The crucial thing is, come forward and get your second jab,” he said.

The UK government reviews which countries are on which list every three weeks, and the last update – when Portugal was stripped from the green list – was three weeks ago on 3 June.

As well as the latest announcement, the government has also said there will be a “checkpoint” review of the rules for each category on Monday 28 June. That could be when ministers decide whether to relax quarantine for fully-vaccinated travellers.

Earlier this week, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said ministers were “working on” plans for fully-vaccinated people to be exempt from quarantine if they returned from amber-list countries.

On Wednesday, workers in the industry, including cabin crew, pilots, travel agents and airport staff, held a series of protests against the rules.

They called on the government to offer the industry more financial support and increase the number of countries on the UK’s green list.

Industry body Abta, representing travel agents and tour operators, estimated 195,000 travel jobs have been lost during the pandemic or are at risk.

The government said its international travel policy was guided by “one overwhelming priority – protecting public health”.

It said a range of factors were considered when making decisions about countries – including how capable a country is at genomic sequencing, the risk of transmission and the risk from any variants of concern.

The government added it was keeping all possible travel measures under review, and that economic support for the sector included the furlough scheme.