Health minister Matt Hancock has told Sky News that a decision on whether Portugal will return to the UK quarantine list is likely be revealed on Friday (September 3).
In recent weeks, the travel trade has become accustomed to seeing announcements about quarantine rules being announced on Thursday evenings by transport secretary Grant Shapps on Twitter.
The announcements have given short notice about the imposition of rules requiring self-isolation for 14 days when travellers return to the UK.
Hancock was asked by Sky News’ Kay Burley this morning if Portugal is going to be added to UK quarantine list.
He said the UK quarantine list is kept under constant review, adding: “It does mean sometimes we have to make some swift decisions when we introduce quarantine in a country where the case rate is shooting up – but we do it to protect this country.
“I think the quarantine policy has proved its worth.”
He told Burley that decisions on the UK quarantine list are usually made on “a Friday lunchtime”.
“So people should look at the data and only travel if they are prepared to quarantine – if the virus goes up when they are in that country,” he adds.
The cabinet minister said the decision is likely tomorrow and was unable to say whether someone could travel to Portugal on Friday without needing to quarantine on their return.
“We follow the data and we make these announcements in an organised way on a Friday lunchtime,” Hancock told Burley.
“We are going to publish a further decision tomorrow having looked at the data and I’m not going to pre-judge that.”
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In Portugal, the seven-day infection rate has increased from 15.3 to 23 per 100,000 people.
A seven-day rate of 20 is the threshold above which the UK government considers triggering quarantine conditions.
Hancock was talking to Sky News about a new £500 million funding package to support trials of a 20-minute coronavirus test.
Sky News also spoke to British holidaymakers on the beaches of the Algarve, who had rushed to book flights when quarantine rules for travellers returning from Portugal were lifted two weeks ago.
“There’s a cloud hanging over the glorious sunshine here. Everyone knows 14 days of self-isolation upon the return home is almost certain to be reimposed,” said the report.
“If quarantine comes in before their flights home it will create major headaches for some.”
Holidaymakers said flights were either all booked already or “ticket prices are crazy”.