Spain introduces two-week quarantine for anyone entering the country from Friday while it is still in coronavirus ‘state of alarm’
Spain will force everyone entering the country quarantine for a fortnight from Friday to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Travellers will have to self-isolate at a specific address for 14 days – thought to be the maximum incubation period of the virus – under the new rules.
The measure will stay in place until the end of Spain’s state of alarm, which currently runs until May 24 but will likely be extended to at least the end of June.
Quarantine had already been imposed on Spaniards repatriated from affected countries, but will now apply to all international travellers.
The only people who will be exempt from the new quarantine rule will be air and ship workers who are involved in international supply chains and need to continue their journeys quickly.
The new measures come into force on top of existing restrictions that have effectively banned tourists from entering the country.
Under the rules only Spanish citizens, those who can prove permanent residency in Spain, cross-border workers, and health workers or care workers are allowed in.
Foreigners are currently only allowed to enter the country if they are members of diplomatic missions, consular offices or international organisations based in Spain.
The move will be another blow to Spain’s under-fire tourism industry and the chances of Brits enjoying a Costa holiday this year.
It comes after UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced similar measures for people reaching Britain which is expected to be in place by the start of June.
Only certain workers including lorry drivers and health professional will be exempted from the Spanish quarantine measures.
The quarantine rule, published in an official state bulletin on Tuesday, said it was being adopted so ‘measures of control’ could be reinforced following the improvement of the coronavirus situation in Spain.
It comes after health chiefs announced on Monday that 123 people had died from coronavirus in the previous 24 hours, the lowest rise in the number of single-day deaths since March 18.