Spain Extends Travel Ban for Third Countries With COVID-19 Variants for Another Two Weeks
The Spanish Government has revealed that the country will consider lifting the entry restrictions on non-essential travel from European countries while extending the existing restrictions on entry to Spain from countries where COVID-19 variants have widely spread.
The new order, which follows the one that expired on April 19, will be effective until May 3, 2021, but the measures may be extended again if the spread of the virus is not contained in the highly affected countries until then.
The decision to extend the restrictions for another two weeks was taken following the recommendation of the EU Council, modifying the original proposal concerning the temporary travel ban to the EU.
The new proposal established that all persons entering Spain from a third country with a high risk of the virus’ new variants, such as Brazil and South Africa, are required to self-isolate and follow the sanitary measures, AtoZSerwisPlus.com reports.
Based on a press release issued by the Spanish Ministry of Health, the new measures establish that all persons who fly from any airport located in Brazil, South Africa, Union of Comoros, Botswana, Kenya, Ghana, Mozambique, Zambia, Tanzania, Peru, Zimbabwe, and Colombia to any airport in Spain, with or without making any stops in other countries, must self-isolate for ten days.
Nevertheless, travellers can shorten their self-isolation period if they undergo a COVID-19 test on the seventh day and submit a negative test result.
The Spanish Government explained that travellers from these areas must not leave their accommodation during the ten-day self-isolation period, are not allowed to meet other people, and should limit non-essential travel. However, they can carry out essential activities such as purchasing food and medications, providing assistance to the healthcare centres, or leaving the self-isolation place due to an emergency.
“Concerns about the effects of the Brazilian and South African variants remain, both in terms of their impact due to greater transmissibility, the risk of reinfections and a possible decrease in vaccine efficacy, as well as their extension to countries close to where they are initially detected,” the Government’s press release reads.
In regards to the Brazilian variant, also known as P.1, different studies carried out in the country have shown that it has a greater transmissibility rate, suggesting an association between the variant and the high number of infections.
Recently, Spain imposed restrictions on non-essential travel on countries outside the EU and Schengen Zone until the end of April to halt the further spread of the Coronavirus.
In contrast, the Spanish authorities decided to lift COVID-19 measures for all United Kingdom passengers flying to the country.
