Portugal moves to amber international travel list, Welsh Gov confirms

Travellers returning to Wales from Portugal will need to self-isolate on their return, the Welsh Government has confirmed.

The popular holiday destination will be moving from the green list to the amber list from 4am on Tuesday 8 June.

The decision to move Portugal, including the islands of Madeira and the Azores, to the amber list is to safeguard public health, amid increased concern about the spread of variants of Covid-19, including a mutation of the Delta variant.

Seven other countries – including Sri Lanka and Egypt Afghanistan, Sudan, Bahrain, Trinidad and Tobago and Costa Rica – have also been added to the red list with effect from the same day.

Health Minister, Eluned Morgan said: “Our message is clear – this is the year to holiday at home.

“We’re calling on people to only travel overseas for essential reasons. We have all sacrificed so much to control the pandemic in Wales, we do not want to see the virus re-imported – or new variants come into the country – as a result of overseas travel.”

All travellers to amber countries must quarantine for 10 days on return and take a Covid test on day two and eight. The Welsh Government has put in place plans to physically contact travellers during the 10 day quarantine period.