BASINGSTOKE residents may not be able to holiday in popular Portugal this summer after all, following the government's announcement today (Thursday, June 3), that it will be moved to the amber travel list.

In the first three-weekly review of the Government’s traffic light list for travel, no new countries were added to green list.

However, Portugal (including Madeira and the Azores) will be moved to the amber list from Tuesday due to variants of concern and emerging mutations.

Further measures to safeguard vaccine rollout have also been implemented, as seven countries are added to the red list.

The latest update to the Government’s traffic light list for international travel has taken place today (Thursday, June 3), with Portugal moved to the amber list to safeguard public health against variants of concern and protect vaccine rollout. 

Seven countries – including Sri Lanka and Egypt – have also been added to the red list. All changes to the lists will come into effect at 4am on Tuesday, June 8.  

The decision to move Portugal (including Madeira and the Azores) to the amber list follows increased concern in the spread of variants of coronavirus, including a mutation of the Delta variant, and the risk that is posed of bringing these back to the UK if people are not required to quarantine.  

The Department for Transport says that the situation in Portugal has required swift action to protect the gains made with the vaccine rollout – claiming there has been an almost doubling in the COVID-19 test positivity rate in Portugal since the first review for traffic light allocations, far exceeding the ONS estimated national positivity rate in the UK.  

More significantly, according to data published on GISAID, 68 cases of the Delta Variant of Concern have been identified in Portugal, including cases of the Delta variant with an additional, potentially detrimental, mutation. 

Public Health England are investigating this variant and mutation, to better understand whether it could be more transmissible and less effectively tackled by vaccines potentially putting our progress with the roadmap at risk. 

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “The public has always known travel will be different this year and we must continue to take a cautious approach to reopening international travel in a way that protects public health and the vaccine rollout.  

“While we are making great progress in the UK with the vaccine rollout, we continue to say that the public should not travel to destinations outside the green list.” 

The full list of additional countries added to the ‘red list’ includes Afghanistan, Bahrain, Costa Rica, Egypt, Sri Lanka, Sudan, and Trinidad & Tobago. For countries going on the red list today, COVID-19 prevalence is assessed to be high and there is evidence to suggest community transmission of variants of concern. 

While the number of ‘green list’ destinations remains low, the Government is urging the public not to travel to amber classified destinations to play their role in protecting public health. This is due to the prevalence of variants of concern and general rates of coronavirus being greater in amber destinations, meaning the risk to public health is also greater. 

UK Health Security Agency chief executive Dr Jenny Harries said: “Increases in case rates in the UK serve as a reminder that this pandemic is not over yet and we need to take a cautious approach. Everyone should observe the travel guidance, continue to follow hands, face, space and fresh air, and have both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine when offered.

"Testing will help to break chains of transmission and allow us to see which variants are circulating so make sure you get tested when you return to the UK in line with the guidance.”

People returning to the UK require proof of a negative test, taken within three days before the service on which you will arrive in England departs. Those returning from amber countries must also book and pay for day 2 and day 8 COVID-19 travel tests for when they return to the UK; only the day 2 test is required for those returning from green countries. 

The Government is also announcing that as part of a limited trial, from June 8, direct flights will be permitted to England from countries on the ‘red list’ that were previously subject to flight bans, so long as they arrive at dedicated terminals at Heathrow and Birmingham airports. 

It says that the requirement for these direct flights to arrive at dedicated facilities will help keep more red list passengers separate from other arrivals, helping to ensure they are processed as safely and efficiently as possible and then travel straight to their managed quarantine hotel and reduce queues at the border. 

Meanwhile, many ‘green list’ countries will continue to place restrictions on travellers from the UK, including quarantine measures, so passengers are strongly encouraged to check all entry requirements and FCDO travel advice before they book any foreign travel.