As coronavirus restrictions ease around the world, international travel remains uncertain – with the UK Government implementing a traffic light system which can be altered at a moment’s notice should cases spike. Under the system, only green list countries can be travelled to freely, however, there aren’t many on the list – disappointing those hoping for a week in the sun.
In the latest travel update, 16 areas were added to the green list, including the popular Spanish Balearic Islands.
This meant holiday hotspots like Majorca, Ibiza, Menorca and Formentera are now open for travel to Brits, without having to isolate on return to the UK.
However, mainland Spain remains on the amber list, and there are fears the archipelago could be upgraded to amber at a moment’s notice.
And new guidelines in Spain mean unvaccinated British visitors will have to provide proof of a negative test before travel.
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Cases aren’t looking too good in the Balearic’s either, as on Sunday, health officials said there had been 303 cases in the past 24 hours, 70 more than the 233 notified the previous day.
The positivity rate is also up, from 6.76 percent on Saturday to nearly 8.5 percent on Sunday.
In the Balearics, the Covid incidence rate has grown to almost 130 positive cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
This is more than triple what it was at the end of May.
The Balearic Islands are currently on the Government’s green watchlist, which means they could face being upgraded to amber at a moment’s notice.
For those with holidays booked, the Islands changing to amber could see a mad scramble to book flights home before the changes come into effect.
If holidaymakers instead opt to stay past the deadline, they will have to be prepared to quarantine for 10 days on return to the UK.
The same is true for all of the countries on the green watchlist.
Green watchlist countries
- Anguilla
- Antarctica/British Antarctic Territory
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Balearic islands (Formentera, Ibiza, Mallorca, Menorca)
- Barbados
- Bermuda
- British Indian Ocean Territory
- British Virgin Islands
- Cayman Islands
- Dominica
- Grenada
- Israel and Jerusalem
- Madeira
- Malta
- Montserrat
- Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands
- Turks and Caicos Islands