UK to relax quarantine for travel from France, Spain

Bloomberg

Britain said it’s set to relax quarantine requirements for people arriving from countries including France, Greece and Spain.
A full list of nations with which the establishment of so-called air bridges will exempt incoming travellers from two weeks of self-isolation will be published next week, the UK government said in a statement. The new regime is be introduced a week after that.
Discussions with the three countries named will be held over coming days as Britain waters down a quarantine introduced on June 8 to guard against a resurgence in coronavirus cases as lockdowns ease. The move was slammed by airlines and holiday firms as likely to destroy demand just as they’re trying to salvage some business from the crucial summer travel season.
Britain will continue monitoring levels of Covid-19 infection and “put on the brakes” if the rate of infection increases either at home or in the countries on the list. Destinations will be classified as green, amber or red based on factors including the number of cases and the reliability of data.
Of the three nations highlighted, Spain and Greece are among the most popular beach-holiday destinations for British tourists. France is both an important leisure market and a key surface transport link via ferries and the Channel Tunnel rail route.
All passenger arriving via airports, ports and the tunnel will still be required to wear face masks.
They’ll also need to complete a passenger locater form detailing their place of residence on entering the UK.
The “cautious change” will encourage trips by business travelers and tourists alike, providing “a vital lifeline for UK travel operators and those whose jobs rely on the travel industry,” the government said.