PORTUGAL was today relegated to Britain’s amber list after ministers sounded the alarm about a worrying new “Nepal mutation” of the Indian variant detected in the holiday hotspot.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps this afternoon sent thousands of travel plans up in smoke by advising Brits NOT to go to the popular destination – and making returning passengers self-isolate from 4am next Tuesday.
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Confirming the move – first revealed by the Sun – Mr Shapps warned 68 cases of the Indian “Delta” Variant had been identified in Portugal.
They include cases of the emerging Nepal mutation – and the minister said it was currently unclear if vaccines were effective against the strain.
Mr Shapps said: “We just don’t know the potential for that to be a vaccine-defeating mutation and simply don’t want to take the risk as we come up to June 21 and the review of the fourth stage of the unlock.”
Whitehall sources said Public Health England were also scrambling to assess if the emerging strain is more infectious.
Portugal’s infection rate has been doubling since it was moved to the green list on May 17.
Amid a furious backlash from hard-hit airlines, the minister acknowledged the industry had “suffered” but defended his “difficult by decisive decision”.
As Freedom Day on June 21 hangs in the balance, Mr Shapps added: “It’s safety first to get our unlock done at home”.
It comes as:
- No new countries were added to the green list
- Seven countries including Egypt, Afghanistan and Costa Rica were added to the red list
- Brits scrambled to refund their flights to Portugal
- Families head to Greece despite the Government’s amber warning – as one Brit mum says ‘my kids deserve a holiday’
- Heathrow finally opens a separate red list terminal after weeks of India arrivals mixing with others in long border queues
- Holidaymakers will be hit with soaring prices if green list additions are ‘kept secret’, says an airport boss
- Brits are now banned from entering France unless they have ‘compelling’ reason to stop spread of Indian variant
- Back in Britain people have been enjoying a mini-heatwave as Brits flocked to beaches and hotspots to soak up the sun
Portugal turning amber is a bitter blow for holidaymakers who made bookings after Portugal became one of the only European hotpots on the green list from May 17.
It also means anyone coming back will now have to isolate for ten days when they get home – with the option to test to release on day five.
Anyone coming into the country will already have to show a negative Covid test, and pay for more in the days after they land back in Britain.
If they are negative, people will be released from quarantine and can go out of their homes again.
But those on the red list will have to stay in designated hotel quarantine facilities when they come back to the UK.
And they will be forced to use different terminals too so they don’t mix with other passengers in the airport.
Meanwhile, no countries are being added to the green list in a further gut punch for Brits aching for a post-pandemic getaway.
It means their list of potential holiday destinations are limited to a handful of places like Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands.
Seven countries were also escalated to the red list where travel is banned for all but returning Brits.
Britain finally opened up its international travel again from May 17, and the green list is set to be updated at least every three weeks.
The PM yesterday appeared downbeat about adding too many nations to the safe travel list, saying he would not hesitate to slam them on the red or amber list if he had to.
The PM added: “We’re going to try to allow people to travel, as I know many want to.
“But we’ve got to be cautious and we’ve got to continue to put countries on the red list, on the amber list, when that is necessary.
“The priority is to continue the vaccine rollout, to protect the people of this country.”
The Department for Transport has previously warned that Brits should be wary that countries can be taken off the green list with little notice – which could spark holiday chaos over the summer months.
