Malta Rejects Allure Of British Tourists And Imposes Strict Travel Conditions Out Of Variant Concern
Malta may have been added to the UK’s green travel list yesterday, but British travellers will still find it tough to book a holiday on the island.
Following the UK’s announcement, the Maltese Health and Tourism Ministries announced that, as of 30th June (ie. a day before the UK’s new travel rules for Malta into force), travellers from the UK will only be exempt from quarantine obligations if they present a vaccine certificate which is recognised by the Maltese health authorities.
As it stands, the Maltese health authorities only recognise certificates issued in Malta.
An EU-wide vaccine passport system, through which all EU member states will recognise each other’s vaccine certificates, is set to come into force on 1st July but Malta is reportedly still in the testing phase.
We’re adding Malta to the Govt green list 🟢
We’re also adding Madeira, the Balearic Islands, several UK Overseas Territories and Caribbean Islands (including Barbados) to the green list and green watchlist.
Israel & Jerusalem are also added to the green watchlist.
— Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP (@grantshapps) June 24, 2021
This means Malta will effectively relegate the UK from its ‘amber list’ – where travellers can present a negative PCR test avoid quarantine – to a newly announced list of countries for whom only a vaccine certificate will suffice.
The Health Ministry said it made this decision due to the epidemiological situation in the UK, where a more transmissible COVID-19 variant, codenamed Delta, has surfaced.
The UK has seen a rise in COVID-19 cases in recent days, with 16,703 daily cases registered yesterday, the highest number of daily cases since February.
German chancellor Angela Merkel said on Wednesday that all EU member states should force all UK arrivals to quarantine.
Do you agree with this decision?
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