Europe, Latest on coronavirus outbreak

England: Arrivals from 7 Greek isles set to isolate

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps says 2-week quarantine rule for those returning from Greek islands to start Wednesday

Ahmet Gürhan Kartal  | 07.09.2020 - Update : 07.09.2020
England: Arrivals from 7 Greek isles set to isolate

LONDON 

All people arriving in England from seven popular Greek islands will have to self-isolate for two weeks, Britain’s transport secretary said Monday.

Travellers from Crete, Lesvos, Mykonos, Santorini, Serifos, Tinos, and Zakynthos will be asked to isolate themselves for 14 days starting from 4 a.m. Wednesday morning, Grant Shapps said.

Speaking at the House of Commons, the secretary said "enhanced data" allowed the UK to pinpoint risk on those islands, providing flexibility to add or remove them as infection rates change.

"Through the use of enhanced data we will now be able to pinpoint risk in some of the most popular islands, providing increased flexibility to add or remove them – distinct from the mainland – as infection rates change,” Shapps said.

"This development will help boost the UK's travel industry while continuing to maintain maximum protection to public health, keeping the travelling public safe."

"My officials are now working with health experts with the aim of cutting the quarantine period without adding to infection risk or infringing our overall NHS test capacity," he also said.

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