Breaking News: Scotland Adds Greece to Quarantine List

GREECE has been added to Scotland’s quarantine list as travellers from there pose a ‘significant’ public health risk.

Travellers arriving from Greece will now be required to self-isolate at home for 14 days on arrival in Scotland from 4am on Thursday morning. This is due to a significant rise in cases of coronavirus being imported into Scotland by people who have been in Greece. Although it is believed the prevalence of Covid-19 in Greece currently remains lower than 20 per 100,000, a number of cases of the virus in Scotland have been traced back to Greece.

Scotland’s chief medical officer, Dr Gregor Smith said: “There is a compelling public health risk around the importation of the virus, especially given the number of imported cases linked to the Greek islands. The flow of travel between Scotland and Greece, and the behaviour we have seen from some of those travellers, means that on public health grounds there is a strong case – supported by public health directors – to remove Greece from the exemption list.”

Scotland’s Justice Secretary, Humza Yousaf said: “We are in the midst of a global pandemic and the situation in many countries can change suddenly. Therefore, people should think very hard before committing to non-essential travel abroad. With Scotland’s relatively low infection rate, importation of new cases from Greece is a significant risk to public health. I would also encourage people who have returned to Scotland from Greece in the last few days to be particularly careful in their social contacts and to ensure they stick to the facts.”

The secretary went on to say: “We continue to closely monitor the situation in all parts of the world and base the decisions we make on the scientific evidence available. Regular discussions continue with the other three governments in the UK.”

The news comes as new lockdown restrictions were introduced in and around Glasgow.