Yahoo Movies Balearics cause for concern and Italy could be next on amber plus list, expert warns
The Balearic Islands could be a “cause for concern” while Italy could be the next destination put on the amber plus list, it has been warned.
Holidays to Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera could be in jeopardy due to the number of positive cases in the region, a leading travel expert has said.
The Independent’s travel editor Simon Calder said he thinks the Balearics pose a bigger Covid risk than Greece amid reports both destinations could be added to the government’s new amber plus list.
"The Balearics are really serious cause for concern, in terms of the positivity rate. All you can do if you’ve got a holiday booked there is hope for the best,” he told Sky News.
"Greece I’m a lot less worried about, there are a few spikes around the mainland, but the only island I’m worried about is Santorini."
Giving advice to those looking to get away, the travel expert advised booking "very, very late" and ideally shortly after the next travel review is announced.
Also, Italy could be the next country to be added to the amber plus travel list just as children have finished school for the summer holidays.
Apparently the popular holiday destination has already been “watched closely” by ministers, senior government sources told The Mirror.
But now ministers have been even more concerned about the surge in Covid transmission rates in the country, with the Delta variant dominating cases.
It comes as almost six million people could have their summer holidays ruined if Spain and Greece are moved to the “amber plus” list, analysis revealed.
Labour said an estimated 5,857,558 people face the prospect of last-minute quarantine rules to protect against the spread of coronavirus after booking trips over the “summer of chaos”.
Fully-vaccinated holidaymakers returning from amber list destinations no longer have to isolate for 10 days under the latest easing of restrictions on July 19.
But ministers removed the exemption for France amid concerns over the Beta variant which created the amber plus list.
However, travel restrictions from France look likely to be dropped next week amid the review of the government’s traffic light system.
It is likely that the country will be removed from the amber plus list as government officials seemed to admit the Beta variant threat was contained, according to reports.
Under the current system, anyone arriving from France will have to quarantine at home or in other accommodation for five to 10 days - even if they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Environment Secretary George Eustice told LBC: “There was a reason at the time that the advice was we should put France on that amber (plus) list, it was concern about the Beta variant and the fact that the vaccine might be slightly less effective against that.
“But as those rates come down obviously the evidence will change and it can be reviewed and we will want to be putting countries like France back onto the amber list in the normal way.”
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