COVID-19: Spain to lift entry restrictions from UK on March 30

MADRID: Spain will on March 30 lift restrictions on arrivals from Britain that have been in place since December to prevent the spread of new coronavirus strains, government spokeswoman Maria Jesus Montero said Tuesday.

Restrictions on arrivals from Brazil and South Africa will be extended until April 13 but “not those with Britain” because the country’s vaccination campaign is very advanced, she told a news conference.

Since December 22 only legal residents or nationals of Spain and the neighbouring micro-state of Andorra have been allowed in by air and sea from Britain.

A similar restriction on arrivals from Brazil and South Africa came into effect on February 3.

The only exception is passengers in transit, who cannot leave the airport nor remain there longer than 24 hours.

The British government on Saturday hailed its coronavirus vaccination programme as “a huge success” after announcing half of the adult population had now received a jab.

The end of restrictions on arrivals from Britain will come into effect in the run-up to Easter Sunday, which this years falls on April 4, traditionally a peak travel period.