France and the Netherlands Added to Mandatory UK Quarantine List

LONDON, KOMPAS.com – A UK quarantine has been extended to British holidaymakers coming home from France and the Netherlands amid fresh coronavirus outbreaks in the two EU countries.

UK citizens are scrambling to return home before the mandatory 14-day quarantine rule comes into effect on Saturday at 4am (3am GMT).

The UK quarantine decision has prompted Paris to quickly announce a “reciprocal measure”. 

A mass exodus is expected to occur as an estimated 160,000 British holidaymakers are currently in France where coronavirus outbreaks have steadily risen there.

Read also: UK Quarantine Imposed on Spain – Germany and France Could Be Next

"Data shows we need to remove France, the Netherlands, Monaco, Malta, Turks & Caicos & Aruba from our list of coronavirus Travel Corridors to keep infection rates DOWN," Transport Minister Grant Shapps wrote on Twitter.

"If you arrive in the UK after 4am Saturday from these destinations, you will need to self-isolate for 14 days."

French junior minister for European affairs Clement Beaune said it was "a British decision we regret and which will lead to a reciprocal measure".

France "hoped for a return to normal as soon as possible", Beaune said on Twitter.

On Thursday France recorded 2,669 new coronavirus infections, its highest daily number since May.

Read also: Paris Marathon Canceled as France Mitigates Resurgence of Covid-19 Cases

Britain had initially imposed a blanket quarantine on all visitors arriving in the country, but later carved out "travel corridors" which exempted travellers arriving from certain countries from having to self-isolate.

But it reintroduced the quarantine for travelers arriving from Spain in late July, catching airlines by surprise — as well as thousands of Britons leaving for their holidays.

Britain then reimposed quarantine for travellers from Andorra, Belgium, and the Bahamas last week.

Scientists at Britain's Joint Biosecurity Centre advised the latest measures after France's cases per 100,000 population rose above 20.