The new coronavirus quarantine rules have entered into force in the UK, requiring travelers arriving from Spain to isolate themselves for 14 days. So how have tourists reacted to the changes?
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Michael Wilson
Michael Wilson and his Spanish girlfriend are on a two-week trip to visit their family in Seville
Michael Wilson, from Leeds, told the BBC that the new rules would prevent his girlfriend from working, and would probably not generate any salary for the period of isolation. The couple has been in Seville since July 19, visiting their family.
“To add insult to injury, some of the ‘waves’ reported here in Spain have been caused by partying Britons without masks or social distancing,” he said.
Wilson added that he felt it was unfair to impose quarantine measures on people entering the UK from Spain, due to the high level of compliance with the coronavirus measures he observed during his visit.
“On our occasional trips, I have observed 100% compliance with quarantine rules,” he said. “They all wear masks, they don’t shake hands, etc.
“People entering the UK from Spain pose a significantly lower risk to people in the UK than 99% of the UK population who show complete disregard for the blockade and social distancing measures.”
Canceled birthday surprise
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Lois Stothard
Lois Stothard had planned a surprise trip for her boyfriend James Allott, but had to cancel
Lois Stothard, from South Yorkshire, said she had booked a vacation in Seville as a surprise for her boyfriend’s 30th birthday, who was due to fly on Sunday morning, but now feels he can’t travel.
“I am a key worker, I am a teacher, and my boyfriend has work commitments, so we cannot quarantine for 14 days when we return,” she said.
“We cannot recover any money and to change the company we want to double what I already paid in fees.
“I am very disappointed and upset that we are packed and ready.”
One night vacation
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Andras Szigeti
Dr. Andras Szigeti will return home on Sunday after a night of traveling as he cannot afford to quarantine
Dr. Andras Szigeti, from Chelmsford, Essex, arrived in Spain with his partner on holiday Saturday, after working the entire bull run as a key worker.
But three minutes after landing in Malaga, the couple received the news that they were to isolate themselves for 14 days upon their return to the UK.
“Since I am a private doctor and I am the number one breadwinner in the family, I cannot afford to lose half of my monthly salary,” said Dr. Szigeti.
“So we decided to go back tomorrow and use at least part of my vacation as a quarantine.”
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Dr Szigeti said they were “devastated” as the trip to Malaga had been booked as an alternative to visiting their families in Hungary, which has imposed entry requirements for people arriving from the UK.
“We have now changed our flights for the third time and we all together pay £ 600 for our overnight trip in the sun,” he said.
Stuck in the UK?
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Caren Joyce
Caren Joyce with her two children, who were excited to see their grandparents.
Caren Joyce, who lives in Alicante, Spain, will fly to London Gatwick on Monday, with her two teenage children, to visit her parents.
Ms. Joyce said she still intended to travel because she did not want to disappoint her parents, both in their 70s, who “had many ups and downs and felt isolated” during the pandemic.
But she called for greater government clarity on the new rules.
“We are only in the UK for nine days, so how does this work?” He said. “I took a vacation from work to go see my parents.
“Are we allowed to return to our country of residence within these 14 days?”
‘More flexible’ policy
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Lesya Liskevych
The view of Lesya Liskevych on a Playa de las Cucharas, Costa Teguise, almost empty, on Friday
In the meantime, Lesya Liskevych, of Reigate, told the BBC that he believed the new quarantine rules should be “more flexible, based on local data.”
Ms. Liskevych, who is currently in Lanzarote with her husband, said: “Cases [here] they are very low, they wear masks and it is not very busy and perfectly manageable to maintain social distance since the beaches and towns are not occupied at all. “
He added that they had met very few people and that they felt that the area had “a much lower risk than the critical points in continental Spain.”
Quarantine measures apply to those returning from mainland Spain, the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands, such as Mallorca and Ibiza, however, the advice of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which has ramifications for travel insurance, is to avoid all travel, except essential, to continental Spain.
The Department of Transport has advised people who are currently on vacation in Spain to follow local regulations, to return home normally and to consult the Office of Foreign Affairs travel advice website for more information.
