Britons face quarantine across EVERY EU country as bloc adopts ‘standard’ threshold for imposing self-isolation rules on arrivals

Britons travelling to the European Union could soon face quarantine on arrival across the board as countries consider whether to adopt a standardised threshold for imposing self-isolation rules. 
The European Commission is pushing member states to adopt its recently published 'traffic light' quarantine system so that the entire bloc uses the same criteria for restricting travel. 
The EU's system would see quarantine measures applied to all arrivals from countries which have more than 50 coronavirus cases per 100,000 people over the previous two weeks and a positive test rate above three per cent. 
A recent surge in cases means the UK currently has an infection rate of 51.1 per 100,000 and a positive test rate of six per cent - both above the EU's threshold. 
Ireland is expected to announce its new quarantine rules today with reports suggesting Dublin will adopt the European Commission's approach. 
The European Commission wants European countries to adopt a standardised system for imposing quarantine on travellers. The threshold would be set at more than 50 cases per 100,000 people. A coronavirus test centre is pictured at Brussels Airport yesterday
The European Commission wants European countries to adopt a standardised system for imposing quarantine on travellers. The threshold would be set at more than 50 cases per 100,000 people. A coronavirus test centre is pictured at Brussels Airport yesterday a 'revolver on the...SHARE THIS ARTICLEShare

The current rate of coronavirus infection in European counties

The EU is proposing to introduce a standardised system for quarantine.
It would see arrivals from countries with a rate of more than 50 cases per 100,000 told to self-isolate.
These are the current infection levels per 100,000 in European countries.
Spain: 270.7
France: 153.9
Czechia: 111
Romania: 86
Belgium: 70.6
Netherlands: 69.2
Austria: 69.1
Portugal: 53.9
UK: 51.1
Ireland: 45.4
Italy: 32.4
Sweden: 22.7
Germany: 21.7
Poland: 19.2 The Telegraph said France, Spain, Germany and the Netherlands are all in favour of a standardised system. 
However, it is thought they would want to retain the ability to act unilaterally on quarantine so they could alter restrictions when they see fit.  
The expected move by Ireland comes as Finland moves to roll out updated quarantine measures from this weekend. 
Its system will see arrivals from countries with 25 cases per 100,000 having to quarantine and get tested.   
The European Commission published its 'traffic light' plans at the start of September in a bid to harmonise rules across Europe. 
Its system would see countries with an infection rate above 50 per 100,000 added to a 'red list' while countries with a rate between 25 and 50 would be on the 'amber list'. 
Countries with an infection rate of lower than 25 per 100,000 would be added to the 'green list'.
People travelling from countries on the 'red list' would be told to either quarantine or get tested.  
Under the European Commission's proposals, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control would publish a map every week with the latest colour codes applied to each country. 
The bloc said it wanted to introduce a 'well-coordinated, predictable and transparent approach to travel restrictions' which would replace the current 'kaleidoscope of individual measures'.   
Paul Charles, chief executive of the travel consultancy The PC Agency, said the idea of a consensus being struck on quarantine is 'good news' but 'bad news for travellers leaving the UK because our numbers are getting worse'.
The UK Government currently uses a threshold of 20 cases per 100,000 when it makes decisions on whether to add or remove countries from its quarantine list.

No comments:

Powered by Blogger.