Spain brings back Covid restrictions – here’s everything you need to know

SPAIN has brought back some of their Covid restrictions due to soaring cases abroad.

Passengers arriving at Spanish airports from China will now be screened for Covid.

All arrivals will also need to have a negative Covid test or proof of vaccination.

The measure will remain in place until at least February 15, Spain's health ministry said in a statement, with travellers arriving from China required to undergo a temperature check and a Covid-19 test.

"A major concern lies in the possibility of new variants appearing in China that have not been controlled," Spanish health minister Carolina Darias told a press conference last week.

"Given the health situation in that country, we know the importance of acting with coordination, but also the importance of acting quickly."

Coronavirus infections have surged in China, overwhelming hospitals as the country unwinds hardline controls that torpedoed the economy and sparked nationwide protests.

A growing number of countries have imposed restrictions on all visitors from mainland China after Beijing decided to end mandatory quarantine on arrival, prompting many jubilant Chinese to make plans to travel abroad.

France requires travellers to provide a negative COVID test result less than 48 hours before departure, along with the US, Canada and Australia.

Italy is also screening passengers, after one flight from China to Italy was found to have more than half of the passengers having Covid.

The European Union's health agency said Thursday that such restrictions weren't warranted in the bloc.

But Darias said China was set to lift its travel restrictions on January 8, which would likely cause a "significant" rise in people travelling abroad.

In 2019, around 700,000 tourists with Chinese residency visited Spain, according to Spain's tourism ministry.

That figure dropped sharply to about 130,000 in 2020 and 30,000 in 2021, according to the Spanish statistics institute.

The new rules will not affect Brits travelling from the UK, although it will if travelling from mainland China.

Passengers arriving in the UK from China must also have a negative Covid test before travelling from tomorrow.

The Government said that airlines will be required to check that passengers from China have a negative test before departure and travellers must show their proof.