Portugal announces quarantine for unvaccinated Brits

British holidaymakers heading to Portugal must quarantine for two weeks upon arrival unless they are fully vaccinated against Covid-19, Lisbon announced Monday, citing fears over the Delta variant.

The quarantine will stay in place until at least July 11, the interior ministry said in a statement.

Portuguese authorities announced Sunday that schools in five towns in the Algarve region, popular with tourists for its stunning beaches, would be closed in a bid to contain a surge in coronavirus cases.

The Delta variant, first detected in India, has been fuelling rising infection rates in both Portugal and Britain.

Portuguese authorities have tightened coronavirus restrictions in the areas most affected, including Lisbon and the major Algarve resort of Albufeira.

In mid-May Portugal became the first European Union country to welcome back British travellers, who traditionally flock to Portuguese beaches in a major boost to the tourist economy.

But three weeks later Britain reintroduced a 10-day quarantine for people returning from Portugal due to rising cases there, prompting some British tourists to rush home early ahead of its reinstatement.

Portugal’s rising infection rate on Friday led Germany to ban all travel from the fellow EU member, apart from German citizens or residents returning home.

Those arriving in Germany from Portugal must also undergo a quarantine.