Greece and parts of Cyprus have been added to Scotland’s quarantine list.
Travellers arriving in Scotland this weekend from Greece – except the islands of Crete, Corfu, Kos, Rhodes and Zante – as well as the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia in Cyprus, must quarantine on arrival for 14 days.
The Scottish Government has said a significant increase in cases of coronavirus in those areas, as well as a rise in the numbers of cases testing positive, and the associated risk of importation into Scotland has led to the decisions to remove exemption status.
However, Bahrain, Cambodia, Chile, Iceland, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Turks and Caicos Islands and Laos are being added to the list of destinations exempt from quarantine on arrival in Scotland.
All these changes take effect from 4am on Saturday.
Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “It is imperative that we disrupt the spread of this virus which remains a significant challenge in Scotland and across the world.
“Our first line of defence in managing the risk of imported cases from communities with high risks of transmission is imposing quarantine restrictions.
“Over the coming week we will be closely monitoring the situation in the Greek and Spanish islands, in particular the Canary Islands, as the number of cases there are giving cause for concern.
“The addition of nine destinations to the list of countries designated exempt from quarantine requirements, should not be taken as a signal that people should travel abroad.
“Our message remains clear that people should think very hard before committing to non-essential foreign travel as the public health situation, and therefore our response to it, can change rapidly.”
The move follows what the Scottish Government describes as a “significant increase” in cases of coronavirus in those areas as well as a rise in the numbers of cases testing positive.
Meanwhile the current additional restrictions in relation to Denmark are to remain in place for a further 14 days, but will be reviewed should new information become available on progress by the Danish authorities to contain the outbreak.
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