Balearics pushing for exemption from UK quarantine order on Brits returning from Spain

THE Balearics are pushing for the establishment of a safe air corridor between the UK and the islands.
The move comes in response to the UK government’s shock announcement on Saturday that all travellers arriving in the country from Spain must quarantine for 14 days.
“The government will continue working to avoid the quarantine for the British returning from the Balearics”, regional Health minister Patricia Gomez told press on Sunday.
Gomez highlighted the point that the UK government has excluded Mallorca, Ibiza, Menorca and Formentera, along with the Canary Islands, from its recommendation to British citizens not to travel to Spain.
“The fact that the UK has not banned travel to the islands is good news”, the regional minister commented.
But she also recognised that “in regard to the personal situation of each traveller, any news which could put travel at risk means cancellations and this is bad news for an eminently touristy autonomous community like ours.”
Gomez pointed out that while the rate of Covid-19 infection for Spain as a whole is currently more than 37 per 100,000 inhabitants due to outbreaks in Barcelona, Cataluña and Navarra, in the Balearics it is just eight. This is in fact lower than the UK rate of 13.7, she said.
She underlined the efforts of the archipelago’s businesses to ensure the situation is safe and said the islands’ health system is fully prepared should there be an outbreak. She also stressed the regional administration is proactively monitoring the pandemic situation.
The regional minister is due to have talks with the British Ambassador on the quarantine issue today Monday.
The Balearic government meanwhile tweeted its “appreciation” to travel companies TUI UK and Jet2 “for maintaining their connections with and supporting the islands as the safe destination we are.”