Malta and Netherlands to be removed from England’s safe travel list – The Guardian

Update – The British government announced that data showed that the UK needed to remove France, the Netherlands, Monaco, Malta, Turks & Caicos & Aruba from our list of coronavirus Travel Corridors to keep infection rates down. Those arriving in the UK after 0400h BST of Saturday from these destinations, will need to self-isolate for 14 days. The move, which will mean arrivals into UK from these countries will have to quarantine for 14 days on their return or face a fine.

The Netherlands and Malta are set to be removed from England’s travel corridor list but ministers are still mulling over a decision on France, the Guardian has learned.

The transport secretary, Grant Shapps, met with ministers on Wednesday afternoon where it is understood it was decided the Netherlands and Malta would be taken off the list after a rise in Covid-19 cases in the countries, but that a decision on France was delayed.

Ministers at the meeting are also understood to have agreed that the British overseas territory the Turks and Caicos Islands, and the island of Aruba, a Dutch constituent country in the Caribbean, should be listed for removal.

The move to take the four locations off the list – which means arrivals from those places to England will have to quarantine for 14 days once the measures are imposed – was initially expected to be announced on Thursday. However, it is understood Boris Johnson intervened to pause plans on Wednesday evening, with more time now being given to analyse Covid cases in France to see whether it should be removed alongside the other four locations.

The Telegraph reports “

A clutch of other countries are also at risk of being removed from the Foreign Office’s “green” list , including the Netherlands, Gibraltar, Monaco, Malta, San Marino, the Faroe Islands, Turks and Caicos, and Aruba. All have even higher infection rates than France.

Malta, in particular, has been the subject of increasing concern. For much of July the small island nation had no new cases each day, but on July 29, 78 new cases were recorded. In August so far, the lowest number of new cases per day has been 15.

Holidaymakers were reminded by Downing Street on Monday that “there is no risk free way of travelling overseas,” with Boris Johnson saying that he would “not hesitate” to bring in quarantine for other countries.

The Guardian / The Telegraph