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| Coronavirus: Spain quarantine rule 'disappointing but needed' | Coronavirus: Spain quarantine rule 'disappointing but needed' |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| The reintroduction of quarantine for travellers to Scotland from Spain will cause disappointment but is necessary, the justice secretary has said. | The reintroduction of quarantine for travellers to Scotland from Spain will cause disappointment but is necessary, the justice secretary has said. |
| Scotland lifted the 14-day rule last week, but brought it back on Saturday along with the rest of the UK due to a rise in coronavirus cases in Spain. | Scotland lifted the 14-day rule last week, but brought it back on Saturday along with the rest of the UK due to a rise in coronavirus cases in Spain. |
| Humza Yousaf said the decision had been taken to reduce the risk of the spread of the virus. | Humza Yousaf said the decision had been taken to reduce the risk of the spread of the virus. |
| More than 900 new cases of the virus were reported in Spain on Friday. | More than 900 new cases of the virus were reported in Spain on Friday. |
| Spanish officials have also warned a second wave could be imminent as major cities have seen cases surge. | Spanish officials have also warned a second wave could be imminent as major cities have seen cases surge. |
| Airlines including British Airways have criticised the new measures as "yet another blow" to British holidaymakers. | Airlines including British Airways have criticised the new measures as "yet another blow" to British holidaymakers. |
| Ryanair, Jet2 and Easyjet have several flights to and from Spain at Glasgow and Edinburgh airports on Sunday. They include arrivals from Barcelona, Malaga and Alicante. | |
| The Foreign Office is advising against all but essential travel to mainland Spain. Quarantine measures apply to those returning from mainland Spain, the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands, such as Majorca and Ibiza. | |
| Among those affected by the new rules is UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, who began his holiday in Spain on Saturday. He is expected to continue his trip as planned and isolate in line with guidance on his return. | |
| The Scottish Passenger Agents' Association (SPAA) said the reintroduction of the self isolation rule was understandable but also meant "yet more bad news for the beleaguered travel industry". | |
| It said some travellers may not have been aware of the requirement to quarantine until they landed in Scotland. | |
| 'Cause for concern' | |
| The Scottish government had previously held off relaxing the 14-day quarantine rule before adding Spain to its list of exempt countries last week. | The Scottish government had previously held off relaxing the 14-day quarantine rule before adding Spain to its list of exempt countries last week. |
| Mr Yousaf said the decision to exempt Spain was taken when the data showed there was an improvement in the spread of the virus. | Mr Yousaf said the decision to exempt Spain was taken when the data showed there was an improvement in the spread of the virus. |
| He said: "But clearly the latest data has given us cause for concern to overturn that decision. | He said: "But clearly the latest data has given us cause for concern to overturn that decision. |
| "We appreciate that this will be disappointing. However, we have always been clear we are closely monitoring the pandemic situation in all countries and that we may require to remove a country from the list of places exempt from quarantine requirements should the virus show a resurgence. | "We appreciate that this will be disappointing. However, we have always been clear we are closely monitoring the pandemic situation in all countries and that we may require to remove a country from the list of places exempt from quarantine requirements should the virus show a resurgence. |
| "It is still active and it is still deadly." | "It is still active and it is still deadly." |
| 'Baffling decision' | |
| Joanne Dooey, president of the SPAA, said Scotland's travel industry would face continued difficulties. | |
| She said: "Travel agents have faced a torrid time since lockdown and whilst bookings are steady for 2021, the sector has been massively affected. Agents have worked tirelessly to rebook holidays for their clients." | |
| Reintroduction of the requirement to quarantine would mean travel agents having to rebook their clients now for a second or third time, she added. | |
| Scottish Liberal Democrats leader Willie Rennie said there were warnings in Spain of a rise in cases at the time the Scottish government decided to relax restrictions last week. | |
| He said: "I found the Scottish decision last week baffling given the clear warnings from the Spanish health ministry. I am not surprised that the decision has now been reversed." |