Spain was badly hit by the coronavirus pandemic, with more than 272,000 confirmed cases and a huge 28,432 deaths. The country’s borders have been closed since March, and the huge evaporation of its glowing tourism industry has hit hard. And now, Spain could be in more trouble as a top health official warned the country could be suffering a second wave after a huge spike in cases in recent days.
As a result, Spain is expected to be removed from the Government’s list of safe countries to travel to.
The decision means those coming back from Spain will have to self-isolate for two weeks upon their return to England.
A formal announcement is expected to be made by the Department for Transport on Saturday.
TUI has already announced it would cancel all planned holidays to Spain in response to the announcement, and every customer already in Spain will be “proactively contacted to discuss their options,” a spokesman said.
But what does this mean for those in Tenerife? Or those who have booked their Tenerife holiday? Express.co.uk rounds up all you need to know.
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Spain warning: Catalonia imposes more restrictions
Is Tenerife classed as Spain?
Tenerife, which is part of the Canary Islands, is an autonomous region of Spain.
These islands lie just off the coast of northwest Africa, about 100km west of Morocco.
Tenerife is still controlled from the Spanish central government but has its own political management.
So chances are, your holiday could be affected
Express.co.uk will update this story when more information is made available.
Can I go on holiday to Tenerife?
As of 7pm on July 25, Britons are able to go on holiday to Tenerife.
The Spanish Government updated its rules to allow British tourists to enter the country from June 21.
And the UK announced an airbridge scheme with Spain on July 10, meaning Brits could jump on a plan to Tenerife from that date,
The current FCO advice reads: “Restrictions on movement throughout the country have been lifted and travel between regions is permitted.
“A small number of local outbreaks of COVID-19 have been identified in Spain since the end of the State of Alarm. You should consult the Ministry of Health map for information on their locations. If you are staying in any of the affected areas, follow the advice of the local authorities.
“One of those outbreaks has affected parts of Catalonia (namely parts of Barcelona metropolitan area, and the areas of La Noguera and El Segria), where local authorities have asked residents only to leave their accommodation for essential activities.
“Meetings of more than 10 people in public or private are prohibited, and the authorities have ordered the closures of nightclubs, gyms, and restrictions to the capacity and opening hours of bars and restaurants. These measures will be in place until August 1.
“The use of face coverings is mandatory for anyone over the age of 6 years old on all forms of public transport in Spain and in many other indoor and outdoor public spaces.
“Specific rules on the use of face masks may vary from one region to the next, you should refer to local authorities for advice.”
However, travelling to Spain or any of its islands – including Tenerife – isn’t quite as simple as it used to be.
For those hoping to catch some sun this summer, there are a few items to add to your check list on arrival in Tenerife. Tourists will have to:
- have their temperature taken
- state if they have had the virus in the past
- provide the contact details of their accommodation
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