Italy back on quarantine list but Greece taken off

Scots returning from Italy, San Marino and Vatican City will have to quarantine for 14 days from Sunday – but travellers coming back from Greece will no longer have to.

The latest changes to quarantine measures come three months after Scotland established a so-called “air bridge” with Italy.

It meant holidaymakers could travel to the country without having to self-isolate for a fortnight upon their return.

Italy was the first European nation to experience a major coronavirus epidemic earlier this year.

Now, with rising coronavirus cases in the country once again, the Scottish Government will reinstate 14-day quarantine for returning travellers from 4am on Sunday.

But meanwhile, Greece and all the Greek islands except Mykonos will be made exempt from quarantine rules, meaning Scots can travel there and back without needing to isolate.

The country and most of its islands, including popular holiday destinations like Crete, have been seeing lower prevalence of Covid-19.

That change also comes into effect from the early hours of Sunday.

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Greece had been placed on Scotland’s quarantine list back in September.

Generally, Scotland permits air bridges – meaning quarantine-free travel is allowed – with countries with lower or similar levels of coronavirus to here.

Community safety minister Ash Denham said: “Lifting quarantine restrictions on those travelling from most of Greece, in line with the public health data we have received, is not a signal that it is safe to book foreign travel.

“All travel carries a risk and people should think long and hard before choosing to go abroad.

“It is vital that we supress the spread of the virus in Scotland and imposing quarantine restrictions on those arriving in the UK is our first line of defence in managing the risk of importing cases from communities with high risks of transmission.”

“We are continuing to have regular discussions with the other three governments in the UK.”

If you come back from a country on the quarantine list you must quarantine for 14 days at home or another specified address.

Failure to comply with requirement to quarantine can result in a fine of £480.