Spain could be slammed onto amber plus list next week due to fears of Beta cases – throwing holiday plans into chaos
SPAIN could be replacing France on the amber plus list next week, meaning Brits will not be able to skip the 10-day quarantine even if fully vaxxed.
Government sources are confident that France will be removed next week after it was added at short notice earlier this month.
The country was added due to the fears of the Beta variant, meaning France was not included in the easing of the amber list rules which lets Brits with both jabs skip the quarantine back in the UK.
However, a Whitehall source told the that the Department of Health is 'jumpy' about the variant being detected in some parts of Spain.
They said: "The situation in Spain is beginning to feel a lot like the build-up to the decision on France.
"The Department of Health are getting very jumpy about the number of Beta cases in parts of the country.
"We're not talking about the main tourist hotspots, but that might not make any difference – it didn't with France."
Other officials have downplayed the threat in Spain, saying the country won't be added in the travel review, expected on August 5.
A Department for Transport spokesperson said: "The travel list allocations have not changed for Spain or Greece."
"VERY JUMPY"
And insiders say a sharp rise in the Delta variant on the Continent will mean it “outcompetes” Beta in a few weeks — giving hope the “amber-plus” status will quickly be ditched.
A source said: “Like we’ve seen here, Delta is so transmissible we are pretty sure it will outcompete the Beta variant.
“There is still a couple of weeks to go though and that needs to be reflected in the data.”
Environment Secretary George Eustice previously told LBC: "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."
More countries are expected to be added to the green list too, which could include Germany and Austria, as well as Italy and Poland.
The green list is the smallest of the lists, with other destinations including Madeira, Malta and Croatia on it.
Boris Johnson is also set to allow double-jabbed travellers from the US and Europe back into the UK without having to quarantine, it has been reported.
Senior ministers are poised to sign off plans today to allow US citizens who have vaccine cards and those from the EU countries who have a ‘green pass’ to enter the UK.
