People in the UK should not travel overseas unless absolutely necessary, a UK Cabinet minister has said.
Environment Secretary George Eustice said on Tuesday the British public should “holiday at home” and visit the “great places” in the UK.
The remarks came after Portugal was moved to the amber list at 4am UK time on Tuesday, leaving just 11 countries and territories on the quarantine-free green list.
Several green list countries, such as Australia, New Zealand and Singapore, are not accepting visitors from Britain.
Mr Eustice said people must be aware of the risks involved with travelling overseas.
"I will be staying at home. I have no intention of travelling or going on a holiday abroad this summer," he said.
"Some people may, but they have to understand that there are obviously risks in doing so because it is a dynamic situation. But I think most people will probably decide this year to stay at home, holiday at home."
Asked whether he is advising people to stay in the UK, Mr Eustice said: "My advice to people would be holiday at home.
"We've got some great places here, there aren't many places that are on that list.”
British holidaymakers rushed to get home from Portugal on Monday before the country was axed from the green list.
Airlines put on dozens of extra flights to meet the demand.
The final commercial flight from Portugal to the UK was a WizzAir flight from Faro to Doncaster Sheffield Airport, landing at 2.58am - leaving little over an hour before the deadline.
Those who arrived after the deadline will have to quarantine at home for 10 days and take several Covid-19 tests.
More countries were added to the UK's red list, including Afghanistan, Bahrain, Costa Rica, Egypt, Sudan, Trinidad and Tobago and Sri Lanka.
Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa on Sunday criticised Britain's decision, saying it was "not justified" and had caused "serious harm" to both British tourists and his country's economy.
Anger was also brewing in Malta, a small Mediterranean island heavily reliant on British tourists.
Maltese Foreign Minister Evarist Bartolo accused the UK government of ignoring scientific advice on the green list.
He suggested UK ministers did not want its citizens to go abroad due to growing concerns over coronavirus cases at home.
"The (British government) is ignoring scientific advice. It has taken a political decision not to allow travel anywhere, despite the pressure it faces from airlines, tourism operators and the people in general," he said on Facebook.
Malta on Monday reported no new Covid-19 cases for the first time in 11 months. Half of its adult population has been fully vaccinated and 75 per cent have received a first dose of a vaccine - the highest rate in the EU.
On May 17 Portugal had been the only EU country put on Britain's green list of countries, where returning travellers were exempt from quarantine.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock on Monday defended the strict rules as necessary to protect the country from imported cases of coronavirus.
Coronavirus in the UK - in pictures
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The biog
Prefers vegetables and fish to meat and would choose salad over pizza
Walks daily as part of regular exercise routine
France is her favourite country to visit
Has written books and manuals on women’s education, first aid and health for the family
Family: Husband, three sons and a daughter
Fathiya Nadhari's instructions to her children was to give back to the country
The children worked as young volunteers in social, education and health campaigns
Her motto is to never stop working for the country
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
Three ways to get a gratitude glow
By committing to at least one of these daily, you can bring more gratitude into your life, says Ong.
- During your morning skincare routine, name five things you are thankful for about yourself.
- As you finish your skincare routine, look yourself in the eye and speak an affirmation, such as: “I am grateful for every part of me, including my ability to take care of my skin.”
- In the evening, take some deep breaths, notice how your skin feels, and listen for what your skin is grateful for.
Brief scores:
Juventus 3
Dybala 6', Bonucci 17', Ronaldo 63'
Frosinone 0
The UN General Assembly President in quotes:
YEMEN: “The developments we have seen are promising. We really hope that the parties are going to respect the agreed ceasefire. I think that the sense of really having the political will to have a peace process is vital. There is a little bit of hope and the role that the UN has played is very important.”
PALESTINE: “There is no easy fix. We need to find the political will and comply with the resolutions that we have agreed upon.”
OMAN: “It is a very important country in our system. They have a very important role to play in terms of the balance and peace process of that particular part of the world, in that their position is neutral. That is why it is very important to have a dialogue with the Omani authorities.”
REFORM OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL: “This is complicated and it requires time. It is dependent on the effort that members want to put into the process. It is a process that has been going on for 25 years. That process is slow but the issue is huge. I really hope we will see some progress during my tenure.”
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Match info:
Manchester City 2
Sterling (8'), Walker (52')
Newcastle United 1
Yedlin (30')
If you go:
Getting there:
Flying to Guyana requires first reaching New York with either Emirates or Etihad, then connecting with JetBlue or Caribbean Air at JFK airport. Prices start from around Dh7,000.
Getting around:
Wildlife Worldwide offers a range of Guyana itineraries, such as its small group tour, the 15-day ‘Ultimate Guyana Nature Experience’ which features Georgetown, the Iwokrama Rainforest (one of the world’s four remaining pristine tropical rainforests left in the world), the Amerindian village of Surama and the Rupununi Savannah, known for its giant anteaters and river otters; wildlifeworldwide.com
Barbie
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