The Portuguese government has criticised plans to exclude the popular holiday destination from the UK’s proposed “air bridge” scheme.
Calling for his country to be exempted from the mandatory 14-day quarantine for new arrivals to the UK, Home Affairs Minister Eduardo Cabrita said that Portugal was “manifestly not where the risk is” and that anyone who thinks otherwise should “just compare the data”.
“Portugal has better public health indicators and better pandemic response indicators than the United Kingdom,” he added.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Cabrita’s comments to Portuguese newspaper Diario de Noticia come as Downing Street prepares “to announce up to 50 countries on Wednesday to which holidaymakers can fly from July 6” without being required to self-isolate on their return, The Telegraph reports.
Portugal is “understood to be two of the nations in Europe currently judged by the UK’s Joint Biosecurity Centre to be potential ‘red category’”, along with Sweden, the newspaper adds.
“While overall cases have remained relatively low in Portugal compared to its neighbour Spain - a comparison of 41,646 to 295,850, respectively - the country’s cases are still a cause for concern,” says The Sun.
Portugal is currently battling to contain an outbreak of coronavirus in and around Lisbon that has led the authorities to re-impose a local lockdown in 19 neighbourhoods.
However, Portuguese health officials claim the outbreak is limited to poorer parts of the capital that rarely attract tourists.
And Francisco Calheiros, president of the Portuguese Tourism Confederation, has pointed out that popular holiday hotspots such as the Algarve have low infection rates.
“Algarve and Madeira are two places that Covid-19 is with a low expression, so I could not believe [reports of Portugal’s possible exclusion],” Calheiros told The Telegraph.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise, refreshing and balanced take on the week’s news agenda - try The Week magazine. Start your trial subscription today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
The dispute comes as Scottish government sources told The Times that quarantine restrictions might be imposed on English holidaymakers if coronavirus infections begin to climb south of the border.
Anyone entering Scotland from overseas must currently enter quarantine for 14 days or face a £480 fine, and a Scottish government source “said that if Covid-19 cases rise, ministers are considering an option to apply the same rules to visitors from England”, the newspaper reports.
-
October 5 editorial cartoonsCartoons Sunday's political cartoons include half-truth hucksters, Capitol lockdown, and more
-
Jaguar Land Rover’s cyber bailoutTalking Point Should the government do more to protect business from the ‘cyber shockwave’?
-
Russia: already at war with Europe?Talking Point As Kremlin begins ‘cranking up attacks’ on Ukraine’s European allies, questions about future action remain unanswered
-
Russia is ‘helping China’ prepare for an invasion of TaiwanIn the Spotlight Russia is reportedly allowing China access to military training
-
Moldova gives decisive win to pro-EU partySpeed Read The country is now on track to join the European Union within five years
-
Interpol arrests hundreds in Africa-wide sextortion crackdownIN THE SPOTLIGHT A series of stings disrupts major cybercrime operations as law enforcement estimates millions in losses from schemes designed to prey on lonely users
-
China is silently expanding its influence in American citiesUnder the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted
-
How China uses 'dark fleets' to circumvent trade sanctionsThe Explainer The fleets are used to smuggle goods like oil and fish
-
One year after mass protests, why are Kenyans taking to the streets again?today's big question More than 60 protesters died during demonstrations in 2024
-
Pro-EU centrist beats Trump acolyte in Romania votespeed read The mayor of Bucharest, Nicusor Dan, defeated hard-right nationalist George Simion in the race for Romania's presidency
-
On VE Day, is Europe alone once again?Today's Big Question Donald Trump's rebranding of commemoration as 'Victory Day for World War Two' underlines breakdown of post-war transatlantic alliance
