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A The 16-country travel ban, incorporating all of South America, came into effect at 4 a.m. this morning, amid concerns about the new Brazilian variant of Covid-19. However, there has been a backlash from the travel industry as Portugal and its islands were grouped with South America.
Grant Shapps, the Transport Secretary, tweeted to say that he was taking “urgent” measures to prevent the Brazilian variant from reaching Britain.
Anyone who has visited or transited one of the 16 countries will no longer have access to the UK. However, the ban does not cover British, Irish and foreign residents, who will be subject to a ten-day quarantine upon arrival in the UK.
Explaining Portugal’s listing, Shapps said: “Portugal’s travel to the UK will also be suspended due to its strong travel ties with Brazil.” The ban covers Madeira and the Azores, which have now also lost their travel corridors.
However, travelers cannot enter Portugal from Brazil without a negative test at the departure airport, prompting an uproar on Twitter about why Spain, which has strong ties to South and Central America, is also not covered by the travel ban.
Paul Charles, travel expert and CEO of PC Agency, said: “If now is the window to stop the flow of potential new strains into the UK, then now is the time to ensure that all possible entry points are covered, and that includes Spain. For the moment, it is a flagrant omission, especially since there is a lot of traffic between Portugal, where entry is prohibited, and Spain. “
Travel bans of this type have already been introduced for those traveling to the UK from Denmark and South Africa, as well as several countries in southern Africa.
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