Spain: Paul Scully discusses amber list
Concerns are beginning to mount that Spain could be the next country to join France on the newly created “amber plus list”. However, according to reports, it is thought that Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps has made a commitment not to make any new traffic light changes until the August 2 review.
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France was added in a shock move last Friday evening, with the Government citing concerns over the Beta variant, originally detected in South Africa.
However, according to European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) data, in recent weeks cases of the Beta variant in Spain are five times higher than in France.
As of July 4, 20.2 percent of confirmed cases of coronavirus were found to be a result of the Beta variant.
In France, during the same period, this figure sits at just 3.8 percent.
What’s more COVID-19 rates are on the rise throughout Spain, particularly among younger people.
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Despite this, according to the Daily Mail, ministers have insisted Spain will not be heading onto the amber plus list “imminently”.
Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps is said to have “been angered at being bounced into adding France to the list,” according to the Times.
It reports Mr Shapps has since “won a commitment within government to ensure that there would be no further additions until August 2”.
Despite this, ministers have reportedly “left open the possibility that measures could still be imposed at short notice if rates of the variant continue to rise” according to the Mail.
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Though cases of COVID-19 are rising in Spain, Jon Clarke editor of the Olive Press, who lives in the Costa del Sol told Sky News there is no strain on Spanish hospitals and health care.
“Although the infection rate is creeping up, with Delate currently the most dominant variant, there’s no stress on the hospitals at the moment,” said Mr Clarke.
“Almost 60 percent of the adult population is now vaccinated and those under 30 are now in the vaccination process.
“It’s mostly young people who are catching it at the moment and, thankfully, they seem to be fighting it off.”
The Spanish local also said the nation has seen an increase in British tourists, and are happy to see them returning.
“It’s been great to see Brits coming back to Spain,” he told Sky News.
Similarly, the Spanish Tourist Office has also said British visitors “remain welcome”.
In a statement following the UK Government’s decision to remove the Balearics from the green list, Mr Piñanes said: "The Balearic Islands continue to be a safe tourism destination that strictly adhere to safety protocols that have been established by the authorities.
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“British visitors remain welcome in the Balearic Islands and Spain."
The Government has said it will update the traffic light list "every three weeks".
This would mean the next review is anticipated on August 2.
Despite this, sudden changes along the way have caught tourists out, including the decision to create an "amber plus list" which currently only holds France.
Since July 19, fully vaccinated British travellers have been able to return from amber list countries without the need for quarantine at home.
However, should a nation go onto the "amber plus list", quarantine rules apply to everyone regardless of inoculation status.