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Britons face ever-shrinking holiday map as Poland joins quarantine watch list

poland - Getty
poland - Getty

British holidaymakers are facing an ever-shrinking travel map amid a resurgence of the coronavirus across Europe.

Poland has joined the quarantine watch list following a record daily increase in virus cases: its seven-day infection rate is now 16.4 per 100,000 people. Italy and Germany are also seeing rates above 15 per 100,000, alongside red-listed South Africa.

Meanwhile, Barbados has deemed the UK as high risk for Covid-19. From October 1, Britons visiting the island must: take a PCR test 72 hours before arriving; upload a negative test result on the designated website; take another PCR test 4-5 days after the initial test (so 2–3 days max after arriving in Barbados); stay in a designated hotel or villa until a second negative result comes through (some are permitting access to pools) and check in with the Barbados health team by logging temperature results for the first seven days after arrival.

There are just eight countries UK travellers can visit without restriction, following the addition of Denmark, Iceland, Slovakia and the Caribbean island of Curacao to the quarantine list on Thursday. This has prompted fresh calls for airport testing.

Paul Charles, chief executive of travel consultancy The PC Agency, said: “As the red list gets longer, it makes quarantine redundant because destinations abroad often have more infections than we do. It makes the system pointless and you might as well resort to substantial testing at airports.”

Some 5,000 travel businesses have backed the campaign to for affordable Covid-19 tests on arrival in the UK.

Scroll down for the latest travel updates.


03:47 PM

Today's main travel stories

  • Brazil calls off 2021 Rio carnival parade 
  • Barbados adds new requirements for arrivals from the UK
  • Cases surge in France and the Netherlands
  • Cardiff becomes first UK city to go back into lockdown
  • London added to lockdown 'watch list'

Catch-up with the rest below.


03:38 PM

Wizz Air warns it will halve winter capacity

Wizz Air expects to cut October capacity by 50 per cent compared to the same month last year and says its winter programme is also likely to be cut to similar levels, reports Travel Mole.

Earlier this month, the airline said it would have to consider parking some of its aircraft over the winter if travel restrictions remain in place.

The budget carrier was operating only 60 per cent of its usual capacity and it said that if travel restrictions persist it is unlikely to be able to increase this to 80 per cent, as previously anticipated.


03:35 PM

Regent Seven Seas Cruises has record year for world cruise bookings

The cruise line's 2023 world voyage has seen double the reservations of its 2022 offering, demonstrating that there is still a strong appetite for cruise holidays.

Jason Montague, president and chief executive officer of Regent Seven Seas Cruises, said: “Our world cruises are always highly anticipated, and I am delighted with the response to our latest global voyage, especially considering the unprecedented public health challenges we are currently navigating.”

Regent’s 2023 world cruise is the line’s longest since 2011 and will explore South America, South Pacific Islands, Australia, Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent, the Middle East, Africa and Spain on a 143-night voyage across 72 ports of call.


03:17 PM

Czech Republic to tighten Covid restrictions

The Czech Republic will extend restrictions on public activities and gatherings next week as the country struggles with a surge in novel coronavirus infections, Health Minister Roman Prymula said on Friday.

Its seven-day case rate has reached  143.7 per 100,000 people in the past seven days.


03:10 PM

How Venice is faring in its worst year since the plague hit

The past year hasn’t been the worst in Venice’s history – the plague killed 50,000 inhabitants between 1576 and 1577 and the city has seen off various invasions over the centuries – but it has still provided unparalleled challenges, writes Sarah Turner.

From flooding to a pandemic-hit tourism industry, Sarah charts the city's fortunes since November 2019.

Getty

02:52 PM

Boeing 737 MAX flight ban could be lifted in November

Boeing’s grounded 737 MAX plane could receive approval to resume flying in November and enter service by the end of the year, reports Reuters.

“For the first time in a year and a half I can say there’s an end in sight to work on the MAX,” said Patrick Ky, executive director of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

EASA expects to lift its technical ban “not long” after the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), probably in November, but national operational clearances needed for individual airlines to resume flying in Europe could take longer, he said.


02:39 PM

600 million people expected to travel for Chinese holiday

Hundreds of millions of people in China will travel for the annual mid-Autumn Festival/Golden Week holiday, which runs from October 1-8. It will mark the first major time of  domestic travel in the country since Chinese New Year in January, which this year coincided with the spread of Covid-19.

According to the State-run Global Times, 600 million were expected to travel in China, roughly 42 per cent of the population.


02:30 PM

Netherlands coronavirus cases surging as PM warns of need for restrictions

The Dutch Prime Minister has said that a second wave of coronavirus infections in his country is "very worrying" and admitted that new restrictions will need to be introduced.

Rutte was speaking following another daily record of Covid-19 infections in the Netherlands, which increased by 2,777 over the past 24 hours.

"The figures look downright terrible," he said at a weekly press conference. "In short, the situation is very worrisome and will force us to take extra measures."


02:20 PM

Liechtenstein to quarantine UK travellers

Travellers who have visited the UK in the past 10 days will be required to quarantine for 10 days on entry to Liechtenstein, from September 28.

The measures which apply in Switzerland also apply in Liechtenstein. However, unlike Switzerland, Liechtenstein has is on the UK's travel green list, albeit an unlikely holiday destination under current circumstances.

It has no airport and its only land borders are with quarantine-listed Austria and Switzerland. To reach it without needing to self-isolate on your return to Britain you will need to fly to a travel corridor country (such as Germany) and drive to Liechtenstein without leaving your vehicle to mix with anyone in a “red list” country. 


02:11 PM

Sex, spies and voodoo: Graham Greene's most remarkable adventures

No other author saw as much of the world as Graham Greene. To mark the publication of a major new biography, Chris Moss traces the fleet footsteps of the author of The Power and the Glory and Our Man in Havana.

graham greence - Getty

01:44 PM

R rate in UK continues to rise and remains above 1

The reproduction number - or R rate - of coronavirus transmission across the UK still remains above 1 and has continued to rise.

The estimate for the R for the whole of the UK is between 1.2 and 1.5, according to new data from Sage that has been released this afternoon. Last week, the R number was between 1.1 to 1.4.

All regions of England have an R that is higher than 1, according the Government's scientific advisers.

R represents the average number of people each Covid-19 positive person goes on to infect.When the figure is below 1, an epidemic is more easily contained and the disease dies. However when the rate is above 1, an outbreak can grow exponentially.


01:24 PM

Scotland confirms 558 new cases in past 24 hours

Scotland First Minister Nicola Sturgeon confirms a further 558 people have tested positive for Covid-19.

This takes the total number of positive cases in Scotland to 26,518


01:10 PM

Switzerland adds UK to its quarantine list

Switzerland added several countries to its quarantine list on Friday, including the United Kingdom, Ireland, Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands and Portugal.

Arrivals from "high risk" countries and regions on the list must go into a 10-day quarantine.

The list also expanded to include the Liguria region of Italy; the Austrian provinces of Upper Austria and Lower Austria, and Bretagne in France with changes taking effect from Monday. 

Switzerland was removed from the UK's travel green list in August.


12:52 PM

Spain's Covid cases rise followed by expansion of Madrid lockdowns

Madrid's regional government expanded the number of areas under partial lockdown on Friday, raising to over a million the total number affected by strict restrictions on mobility.

Antonio Zapatero, the region's deputy health chief, said the restrictions would affect 167,000 people in eight new areas who will not be able to leave their neighbourhood except for work, school or medical reasons.

A resurgence in Covid-19 cases continues in Spain, with the country's seven-day rate per 100,000 people sitting at 168.7, as of Thursday. 

Protesters yesterday clashed with police officers after gathering in their dozens to demand better healthcare and protest against the imposition of what they feel are targeted, class-based measures.

Spanish troops were this week deployed to Madrid to help enforce strict new lockdown rules after thousands of residents took to the streets in protest.

The country's prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, agreed to send in the army after a meeting with the regional governor.


12:40 PM

Lufthansa will try out pre-flight corona tests on routes to US

German carrier Lufthansa says it will run on-the-spot tests for passengers boarding intercontinental flights, in an attempt to get people flying long-haul again.

The airline is working with partners in the pharmaceutical industry to obtain an accurate test that can provide results within 15 minutes for €10 (£9.14), and will roll them out on flights to the US.

Lufthansa said the routes to the US had not been decided yet. “We are in contact with various airports in North America,” the company said in a statement.


12:33 PM

What is the situation in Italy?

Yesterday, Italy recorded 1,786 new cases of Covid-19 and 23 deaths.

This means Italy now has 18.7 cases per 100,000 over seven days. The threshold for a quarantine is 20 cases per 100,000.


12:27 PM

A postcard from Croyde, where summer is seemingly endless

Rachel Mills shares why she loves this picture-perfect village in a patchwork of green hills at the crossroads of three glorious beaches: 

Undeterred by the official end of summer we arrived on the North Devon coast to make the most of the sunshine. As we (and what seemed like every car and VW campervan in the country) converged on the car park at Saunton Sands, our joy about being on an actual, real holiday was only slightly marred by the fact that the dune-backed beach and famed surfing waves were now just a yellow-blue smudge on the horizon.I visit Croyde twice each year, in shiver-inducing March and (more appealingly) in September.

It’s ostensibly to surf, but is more about catching up with friends and seeing if my wetsuit still fits. Of course, this year’s trip in March was cancelled – the Airbnb host was in his second home recovering from Covid-19 and we can only guess what the locals thought of that – but I was determined to make it here for September.We booked a caravan at the rather wonderful  Ruda Holiday Park and arrived to make our own bed with the crisp, clean sheets the team leave out in plastic bags. The weather is always good in Croyde and the village was bursting at its thatched seams with visitors milling between surf shops, clutching pasties from  The Stores and wondering where all the locals disappear to in high season. 

Read the full story.


12:12 PM

Cardiff, Swansea and Llanelli face new lockdown restrictions

Lockdown restrictions are set to come into force in Cardiff and Swansea county areas and the town of Llanelli.

They will come into effect in Llanelli, Carmarthenshire on Saturday at 6pm and in Wales' two biggest cities on Sunday from 6pm. Eight Welsh counties will be under lockdown and one town in a ninth.

The restrictions mean people in the affected cities and towns should not meet indoors, aside from extended households, and nor should they enter or leave their regions without a "reasonable" excuse.

People must also work from home whenever possible, the Welsh health minister Vaughan Gething said.

Around 1.5 million people in Wales will be under local lockdown, a little under half the Welsh population.


12:06 PM

More European countries at risk of quarantine


12:00 PM

Lunchtime read: 20 reasons why you should escape to quarantine-free Turkey

With the third longest coastline of any Mediterranean country, one of the world’s best cuisines, a plethora of beautifully located archaeological sites, a historic metropolis bestriding two continents and a marvellous tourist infrastructure, Turkey needs little selling as a holiday destination, writes Terry Richardson.

Britons can visit without restrictions, or the need to quarantine on their return - Getty

Turkey has been far more successful than many countries in dealing with it, and has been included on the UK's quarantine-free list since early July. 

Terry offers 20 enticing reasons to plan a trip to the country.


11:49 AM

Comment: Is Britain's boneheaded 'stay away' brigade making a comeback?

As more local lockdowns come into force, British holiday hotspots are returning to the "visit later" messaging we saw back in the early days of the coronavirus crisis. This is a short-sighted approach, writes Oliver Smith:

"With financial support winding down, one might assume the need to keep our tourism industry ticking over was never more important. Even with cases now on the rise, surely we won’t witness the return of Britain’s 'stay away' brigade? Think again. Patrick Vallance’s scientifically illiterate Graph of Doom has disturbed its slumber. 

"'Please, visit us another time,' was the message from local politicians in South Wales this week as new regional restrictions were announced, including an 11pm curfew for pubs and restaurants. 'We will be delighted to welcome you back at a later date.'

"I expect to see similarly negative messages in the coming weeks from other local authorities keen to jump on the myopic crush-Covid-whatever-the-cost bandwagon that plays so well with the virtue-signallers on social media. In turn, brainless locals will again start telling outsiders to clear off. 

"It’s idiotic. Stopping staycations will do nothing to halt the spread of this virus. If anything, Britons – particularly city folk like me – are more likely to catch Covid going about their normal lives."

Read Oliver's article in full.


11:34 AM

British Airways cabin crew placed in Hong Kong quarantine facility

British Airways cabin crew have been taken to a quarantine facility in Hong Kong after one member tested positive for Covid-19.

Cabin crew member Ellie Freeman explained in a series of Snapchat posts that she and her colleagues were driven to a camp with twin rooms and barracks-style beds. 

The Hong Kong Government has said it is concerned with cases being imported from the UK and that British arrivals are have a greater impact than those from France or Spain.


11:26 AM

London added to lockdown 'watch list'

London has been added to the national coronavirus 'watch list' following a spike in infections.

A formal Public Health England announcement will take place later today, but the news has already been confirmed this morning by London Councils.

The organisation said that it serves as a reminder of the need for "all Londoners to pull together and take action to keep themselves, their families and communities safe, and to ensure that London's economy is protected".

Catch-up with the coronavirus liveblog.


11:23 AM

Cruise hopes dashed by Barbados travel restrictions

The Foreign Office may be advising against ocean-going cruises, but seasoned cruisers will have been tempted by SeaDream's offer of 22 West Indies sailings that are due to depart from Barbados this winter

However, Britons are unlikely to be able to join these voyages now given that the UK has been added Barbados's list of high-risk countries. 


11:10 AM

Jersey opens 'state-of-the-art' Covid testing lab for travellers

Jersey has tested over 80,360 inbound travellers with results processed within at an average of 22 hours.  Some 58 active infections have been identified through inbound travel screening since 3 July, which is a rate of 0.07 per cent.

It launched a new testing lab on Friday, which, according to the island's tourism board, would "reinforce Jersey’s credentials for its tight management of the COVID-19 pandemic".

Amanda Burns, chief executive of Visit Jersey, said: “With so much uncertainty in the world right now, we’re determined to make sure anyone visiting the island can travel with peace of mind, so they can make the most of everything our beautiful island has to offer during their stay. Our comprehensive system ensures both locals and visitors feel safe and secure."


11:00 AM

The best options for a family escape in 2020

Missed out on a family holiday this year? Now schools are back, so you have one last chance for a rewarding trip for all – the autumn half term. 

We’ve put together a guide to help you navigate the uncertainties and maximise your chances of getting away. The current options include Sicily:

sicily - Getty

The risk: After a nightmare start to the pandemic, Italy has managed its second wave more successfully and it remains on the green list. That could change, of course – the infection rate has risen from about four per 100,000 at the beginning of August to 18 at the end of September. But it does look like one of the most stable bets for October travel.

The reward: Sicily offers a wonderful combination of historical sights – from the ancient Greeks, to the Normans and the 18th-century baroque, a spectacular coastline, some lovely resorts and a warm autumn. At this time of year it’s a great destination either for the beach or some sightseeing, or a combination of both.

Getting there: BA has returns to Catania from about £200. The Thinking Traveller (thethinkingtraveller.com) has great villas.

Read the full guide


10:52 AM

Easyjet holidays extends refund policy in bid to restore consumer confidence

Easyjet holidays has launched a Protection Promise for customers in an effort to win customer trust during ever-changing travel restrictions.

The new long-term policy has been introduced in addition to its short-term commitment to refund for customers whose bookings were impacted by Covid-19.

Under the policy, customers are guaranteed refunds, protection of deposits and free changes to bookings up to 28 days before travel.  Customers can also pay in installments and Easyjet holidays has issued a ‘best price guarantee’.

The company has previously committed to cancel holidays where there is a known quarantine requirement in the destination, or back home in the UK.


10:39 AM

Madrid extends partial lockdown affecting over 1 million people

Madrid's regional government expanded the number of areas under partial lockdown on Friday, raising to over a million the total number affected by strict restrictions on mobility.

Antonio Zapatero, the region's deputy health chief, said the restrictions would affect 167,000 people in eight new areas who will not be able to leave their neighbourhood except for work, school or medical reasons.

A resurgence in Covid-19 cases continues in Spain, with the country's seven-day rate per 100,000 people sitting at 168.7, as of Thursday. 


10:32 AM

Is Cardiff going into lockdown?

The leader of Cardiff council has warned that the Welsh capital city could go into a local lockdown following cases in the area rising "rapidly".

Huw Thomas told an authority meeting last night that the area has seen 38.2 cases per 100,000 residents, and that it is on the precipice of entering the Welsh Government's so-called 'red zone'. Mr Thomas added that if this were to happen, he would "fully expect that we will be implementing further restrictions".

He added that new limits could include a ban on households mixing, as has been introduced throughout Scotland, or a ban on travelling elsewhere.

Meanwhile, people in Scotland and Wales who have booked holidays over October half term risk losing thousands of pounds, after the devolved governments warned against non-essential travel over the school holidays.


10:25 AM

Quarantine-free holidays: demand for Turkish lira up by 78 per cent

Turkey is one of just nine places Britons can travel to without restriction. This has brought a surge in demand for Turkish currency as holidaymakers seek some post-summer sun, minus the quarantine.

Ian Strafford-Taylor, chief executive of foreign exchange company FairFX, said:

"Holidaymakers heading to Turkey are not only escaping quarantine restrictions, but are also benefiting from the exchange rate working in their favour, meaning their money is going further when they’re away. Generally, the pound has been going from strength to strength against the Turkish lira over the last few years and today, for example, the pound is up 24 per cent against the currency compared to the start of the year.

"That means holidaymakers heading to Turkey would get an extra £195 worth of local currency for every £1,000 exchanged at the market rate. For comparison, the pound is currently down 8 per cent against the euro compared to the start of the year meaning holidaymakers would lose out on around £83 worth of euros for the same amount of money exchanged.”


10:18 AM

Watch: First hydrogen-powered plane takes flight

The world’s first flight of a commercial-grade aircraft powered by a hydrogen fuel cell has taken place, with UK-based ZeroAvia flying a six-seater Piper Malibu plane from Cranfield University’s airport.

Val Miftakhov, chief executive of the start-up, was one of the pilots on the eight-minute flight which saw the aircraft – registration G-HYZA in a nod to its fuel source – do two circuits of the Bedfordshire airfield, reaching 1,000ft and 100 knots.

The flight was used to demonstrate the viability of the ZeroAvia’s 800-volt emission-free powertrain, which turns hydrogen into electricity to drive the Piper’s propellor.

It was also the culmination of a two-and-a-half year, £5.5m programme funded jointly by Mr Miftakhov, private investors and the British government.


10:15 AM

Japan to permit entry to foreign long-term residents

Japan will allow long-term foreign residents and foreign students back into the country from October, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said on Friday.

The move will mean further easing of entry restrictions put in place earlier this year to contain the spread of Covid-19.


10:10 AM

Iceland Covid cluster linked back to French tourists

Around 100 Covid-19 cases in Iceland can be traced back to two French tourists who tested positive for the virus, but refused to follow all the control rules, an Icelandic newspaper reports.

They came to Iceland in mid August and were instructed to remain in isolation after testing positive for the coronavirus, the country’s chief epidemiologist Þórólfur Guðnason said.

“I have information that it was difficult to get them to follow instructions,” he stated. “I really cannot say more.

The epidemiologist said the tourists brought a “French strain” of Covid-19 that has been picked up in around 100 new infections traced back to two establishments: the Irishman pub and the Brewdog restaurant, both in Reykjavík.


10:01 AM

EU air safety head says in-flight Covid infection risks are marginal

The risks of air travellers catching Covid-19 on a passenger aircraft are "very marginal" provided health measures are applied, Europe's top aviation safety regulator said today. 

Only seven out of three million passengers on flights in recent weeks showed symptoms of the virus while on board, according to the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) said.

The risks are "highly controlled" by airline and airports, Executive Director Patrick Ky told French aerospace journalists in an online briefing


09:58 AM

A postcard from Colombia, home of the world's longest (but most bungled) lockdown

Ben Davies,  the owner of El Rio Hostel in Colombia, a backpackers’ hostel and bar, gives his take on the country's lockdown:

"Colombia, by its very nature, is a country where a lockdown will never work. Firstly, the vast majority of people live day to day, so earn and spend as they go. Therefore asking them to sit tight, order from Deliveroo and watch Netflix for a couple of months wasn’t ever going to fly. Secondly, the bureaucratic systems still in place in the country require face-to-face contact – endless notarising of documents, menial banking admin, even paying parking fines, can only be done in person. Consequently, the streets were as busy as ever, with the one difference being that everyone wore a mask.

"The knock-on effect was that the mask completely overruled most other distancing measures, and in such a social country life largely continued as normal, albeit minus bars and restaurants in cities.In more rural areas, local plastic chair “menu corriente” eateries continued without interruption. Some other, slightly strange measures were introduced, including spraying car tyres and the soles of your shoes before entering a neighbourhood or shop (the first time I entered a shop after a lengthy period avoiding going to the city I was actually physically manhandled by the spray man, so eager was he to clean my shoes of their potential coating of Covid). 

"So Colombia’s cases crept up, spiking in mid August, just after I’d made my escape back to Europe and after most of Europe had opened back up for business. Locally to El Rio most residents refused to feel intimidated by the virus; sicknesses with very similar symptoms as Covid-19 are common, simply known as “la gripa” (the flu), so talk of the virus was mostly that it was an outside problem and wouldn’t be affecting the area. In contrast to the UK, where most people had been prepared to sit tight and wait for the green light, Colombians simply invested in a face mask and started behaving as normal. In the rural village of Buritaca, close to El Rio, the police, other than fining one foreigner one million pesos for being out without a mask (that’s just over £200, more than one month’s minimum salary in Colombia), seemed unable to control the population at all, whereby leaving everyone to their own devices. One sign outside a local shop simply read: 'If I don’t work, I don’t eat'. "

Read the full story.


09:35 AM

Marseille bars protest against coronavirus shutdown

Hundreds of restaurant owners and bar staff protested outside Marseille's commercial court against a government order to shut from Saturday to curb the surge in new coronavirus cases in France's second biggest city.

The government ordered bars and restaurants in the city to close for two weeks after placing the city on the maximum alert level for the spread of the virus.

But Marseille residents and local officials say the move is disproportionate to the risks and will devastate the local economy.

Read more: Marseille and Paris fury over French government Covid clampdown


09:31 AM

Poland reports record daily increase in coronavirus cases

Poland reported a record daily rise in coronavirus cases for the second consecutive day on Friday, with the biggest spike in the central region of the country, the health ministry said.

It reported 1,587 new Covid-19 infections, the biggest daily number since the start of the pandemic in March. In total the nation of 38 million people has registered 84,396 infections, including 2,392 deaths.

Polish residents have begun to disregard recommendations to wear face masks since the removal in May of most restrictions on movement to limit the spread of Covid-19.

Poland is one of the few destinations that has looked to hold a safe spot on the UK's travel green list.


09:22 AM

Should you book a ski holiday this winter?

The holiday map is rapidly shrinking, including for winter sun destinations, but how about ski trips? My colleague Lucy Aspden has answered the top queries from our readers regarding booking their future ski holidays; from alternatives to flying to which operators are offering Covid-19 guarantees and when is the best time to book. 

skiing - VAL GARDENA 

09:07 AM

Barbados to introduce fresh restrictions for British visitors

So much for a winter sun holiday in Barbados. From October 1, the island nation will consider UK at its highest risk level, alongside countries such as Spain, France and the United States.

This means that Britons visiting must:

  • Take a PCR test 72 hours before arriving, and upload your negative result on a designated website
  • Take another PCR test 4–5 days after the initial test (so 2–3 days max after arriving in Barbados)
  • Stay in a designated hotel or villa until a second negative result comes through (some are permitting access to pools)
  • Check in with the Barbados health team by logging temperature results for first 7 days after arrival

See the details in full.


09:05 AM

Covid-19 sniffer dogs screen passengers at airport

A team of Covid-19 sniffer dogs has begun work at Helsinki airport, to screen passengers for infection.

Volunteers are training a team of 15 dogs and 10 instructors for the trial at part of a trial at Finland's Helsinki-Vantaa airport.

sniffer dogs - Reuters

The dogs can detect the coronavirus five days before humans develop symptoms, researchers say, and detect close to 100 per cent of cases.

Passengers wipe their neck with a cloth that is then placed before a detector dog. While the trial is still ongoing, passengers are also being given a swab test to confirm any results.


08:51 AM

Comment: After a summer of freedom, Denmark is braced for a bleak winter

Denmark was among the four countries to be added to the UK's quarantine list yesterday.

Justine Gosling, a writer based in Denmark, feels fortunate that the country was quick to open up following lockdown, allowing Danes to enjoy the summer months. 

She writes: 

"Looking back now, I feel very lucky and am grateful for the wonderful summer we had, so much of which was spent having fun outdoors. We had a blissful summer of BBQs with friends, almost daily swims in the canals, Friday night dinners and boozy picnics in the parks. Like many Danes, I holidayed within the borders and spent a sunny week exploring the little Danish isle of Bornholm, enjoying long walks on sandy beaches and sunrise swims, not to mention the gluttonous hotel breakfast buffets, seemingly a thing of the past everywhere else. Every Saturday at midnight, depending on where I was in the city, I could hear or see the Tivoli theme park fireworks.

"Come mid-August, like most other countries in Europe, case numbers were rising – and this blissful normality departed. First, Danes were asked to wear masks on public transport (from August 22) – not an issue for many, with around a third of journeys in Copenhagen made by bike. On September 17 tougher measures were implemented and it was recommended that masks be worn in bars, coffee shops and restaurants when not sat down, while all social venues were ordered to close by 10pm."

Read the article in full.


08:45 AM

Portugal extends measures to fight coronavirus until mid-October

Portugal extended measures to curb the coronavirus pandemic until at least mid-October, the government announced on Thursday.

The country was put under a state of contingency on September 15 and it will remain under it until October 14, meaning gatherings continue to be limited to 10 people and commercial establishments must close between 8pm and 11pm.

“Numbers (of cases) have been growing for around five weeks,” Cabinet Affairs Minister Mariana Vieira da Silva told a news conference, adding the government would re-evaluate the situation in two weeks.

The government also decided on Thursday to extend the ban on festivals and similar events until the end of the year.


08:39 AM

Israel plans to tighten lockdown

Stricter rules are due to come into effect as Israel enters its second week of lockdown. 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Thursday that the country was at "the edge of the abyss".

The new rules are still being finalised by parliament but are due to come into force from 14:00 local time and will include closing non-essential private businesses and further restrictions on movement.

Synagogues are expected to only open for small groups on Sunday for Yom Kippur, Judaism's holiest day, and the size of protests would be limited.

Read more: Anger and defiance in Israel reveals the problem with second lockdowns


08:31 AM

Prince Harry and Meghan's final royal tour cost public £246,000, accounts reveal

The Duke and Duchess’s tour to South Africa, Angola, Malawi and Botswana cost the taxpayer nearly £245,643, accounts have disclosed, making it the most expensive journey for the Royal Family in 2019-2020, reports Hannah Furness.

A senior royal source insisted the couple are under no obligation to pay money back for the trip, saying it was a key visit approved by the Foreign Office and successful in helping to highlight the work of numerous charities.

The Sovereign Grant report for the last financial year also included other costly overseas trips by members of the royal family.

A charter flight for the Duke of York to attend the Royal Portrush Golf Club's Open championship in Northern Ireland cost £15,848.

Read the full story.


08:20 AM

Customer protections breaking down under Foreign Office advice, says Which?

The consumer champion Which? has issued a statement following the latest quarantine update, and a summer that has left thousands of holidaymakers awaiting refunds for cancelled trips.

Rory Boland, Which? Travel Editor, said:

"Consumer protections are breaking down over the FCDO’s advice. Package holiday customers should be offered a refund when the FCDO changes its advice to warn against non-essential travel, however some of the largest online travel agents are now refusing refunds for customers.

"These companies are taking their lead from airlines who have faced no consequences for doing the same for months. Consumers have been left footing the bill, dragging confidence in the travel industry even lower."


08:12 AM

South Korea to tighten restrictions during holiday weeks

South Korea said today that it would impose tighter restrictions during the Chuseok autumn holiday weeks when people traditionally reunite with families.

The new curbs apply to at least 11 high-risk facilities in the densely populated Seoul metropolitan area, including nightclubs and bars.

Those restrictions are on top of the current so-called phase two social distancing, which limits indoor gatherings to 50 people and outdoor gatherings to 100, and bans spectators from sporting events.

The new measures will be in place from September 28 to October 11. Korea's Hangul holiday, which memorialises when King Sejong introduced the language's unique characters, is on October 9.


08:11 AM

The 11 places you can visit, with testing or quarantine on arrival

If you are willing to take a test or quarantine for a short period, there are a few other options: 

1. Azores

2. Cyprus

3. Faroe Islands

4. Jersey

5. Madeira

6. Anguilla

7. Antigua and Barbuda

8. Barbados

9. Bermuda

10. St Lucia

11. St Vincent and the Grenadines

Read our full guide to the latest travel restrictions.


08:07 AM

The nine destinations you can visit without restriction

In all, there are now nine places on the travel corridor list that have no restrictions on UK arrivals. They are:

1. Germany

2. Gibraltar

Travellers must report to the authorities if they have been in a “relevant area” in the 14 days before their arrival in Gibraltar. Failure to do so constitutes an offence punishable with a fine of up to £1,000. A relevant area means a country, area or territory outside the European Union but does not include the United Kingdom, Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man.

3. Greece (Partially open)

Travellers returning to Scotland from the whole of Greece must self-isolate. 

For England and Northern Ireland, those returning from Lesvos, Tinos, Serifos, Mykonos, Crete, Santorini and Zakynthos must quarantine; for Wales, the exclusions are Mykonos, Zakynthos (Zante), Lesvos, Paros and Antiparos, Crete, Santorini, Serifos and Tinos. 

You must complete an online Passenger Locator Form (PLF) at least 24 hours before your arrival in Greece. Failure to do so in advance may result in your carrier not allowing you to travel, a fine on arrival, or the Greek authorities not allowing you to enter the country.

4. Italy (including Vatican City)

You should download and complete a self-declaration from the Interior Ministry before you travel. 

5. Liechtenstein

While Liechtenstein is on travel corridors list, it has no airport and its only land borders are with Austria and Switzerland – both of which are not. To reach it without needing to self-isolate on your return to Britain you will need to fly to a travel corridor country (such as Germany) and drive to Liechtenstein without leaving your vehicle to mix with anyone in a “red list” country. 

6. Poland

7. San Marino

You must travel through Italy to reach San Marino. See “Italy”, above. 

8. Sweden

9. Turkey

All arrivals into Turkey will be subject to a medical evaluation for symptoms of coronavirus, including temperature checks. Any passengers showing symptoms will be required to undergo a PCR test.


08:04 AM

Rio's Carnival parade plans suspended

Rio de Janeiro delayed its annual Carnival parade on Thursday, saying the global spectacle cannot go ahead in February because of Brazil's continued vulnerability to the pandemic.

Jorge Castanheira, president of Rio's League of Samba Schools, announced that the continued spread of the coronavirus has made it impossible to safely hold the traditional parades that are a cultural mainstay and, for many, a source of livelihood. No new date has been set, he said.

Rio's City Hall has yet to announce a decision about the Carnival street parties that take place across the city. But its tourism promotion agency said in a statement on Sept. 17 that without a vaccine, it is uncertain when large public events can resume. 


08:03 AM

Sweden's 'consistent approach to restrictions' saved it from second wave, expert says

Sweden's state epidemiologist has claimed that the consistency of his country's coronavirus restrictions is what has so far saved it from the surges in cases seen elsewhere in Europe, reports Richard Orange.

Asked what had prevented Sweden from so far suffering a second wave like Spain's, Anders Tegnell downplayed the importance of immunity, stressing that achieving 'herd immunity' had never been a goal of Sweden's strategy.  

“I'm not sure that the level of immunity in Sweden and in Spain differs very much,” he said.  “I think the main difference between Sweden and many other countries is that we have had the same kind of restrictions and recommendations in place the whole time.

“And we have a really big adherence from the population to those recommendations. And that makes a difference, that makes us hopefully less susceptible to a second wave.”

Read the full story.


08:01 AM

What happened yesterday?

Here's a reminder of Thursday's key stories:

  • Four countries have been removed from the list of travel corridors: Denmark, Iceland, Slovakia and Curacao
  • No new countries have been added
  • Tourism bosses have said new measures announced by Rishi Sunak will not be enough to save the industry, with some saying airport testing is the only solution
  • Families risk losing thousands on half-term holidays if they heed the pleas from the Welsh and Scottish governments not to travel
  • Ryanair has launched the first buy-one-get-one-free sale in its history to tempt reticent fliers

​Now onto today's news.