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Is it safe to travel to Spain right now? What the Spanish and UK government are saying

From Cosmopolitan

If you've been following the impact coronavirus is having on foreign holidays closely, you might have seen the British government introduced a two-week quarantine for those returning from Spain on Friday [24th July].

A spike in covid-19 cases in Spain has prompted the UK government to ask everyone flying into Britain from Spain, the Canary Islands and the Balearic Island to stay at home for two weeks following their return. The Foreign Office has also moved Spain to the 'red list', meaning all but necessary travel is being advised against.

Photo credit: georgeclerk - Getty Images
Photo credit: georgeclerk - Getty Images

The self isolation means that people must not go out to work, school, or public areas, or have visitors except for essential support, or risk a fine. Travellers will be asked to give details on where they're going to quarantine on their return to the country.

But is it actually safe to travel to Spain right now? The government advice suggests no, with their website stating: "From 26 July, the FCO advises against all non-essential travel to mainland Spain based on the current assessment of COVID-19 risks.

"This advice is based on evidence of increases in cases of COVID-19 in several regions, but particularly in Aragon, Navarra and Catalonia (which include the cities of Zaragoza, Pamplona and Barcelona)."

Photo credit: Getty Images
Photo credit: Getty Images

But Spain's foreign minister, Arancha González Laya, said differently on Sunday, insisting:

"Spain is a safe country. Like any other country around the world that has managed to control Covid, Spain is working to isolate cases as soon as they appear, trace the contacts, and make sure we treat them and separate them so that the rest of the country can get on with their lives and the economy can continue, and that tourists can continue to enjoy Spain.”

As for the Balearic Islands, which include Ibiza, Majorca and Menorca? Spanish officials insist their cases of coronavirus have been much lower than mainland Spain, and hope to exempt the island from the 14-day quarantine.

A Whitehall source close to the discussions told The Sun: "[The UK government] are considering an exemption to the Balearic and Canary Islands. Their rates are lower so it may be on the cards - but the announcement may not come until the weekly review.

Photo credit: Getty Images
Photo credit: Getty Images

"There has been some debate as to whether they should be included as there is a lot of traffic between the mainland and the islands, and that's where the issue is. But it will be a decision for the covid group chaired by the PM but that's being actively discussed."

As things stand, the government aren't advising against travel to the Canary Islands or Balearics, but travellers will still have to quarantine for two weeks on their return.

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