Scotland to lift quarantine restrictions for five more countries

The Scottish Government has announced from next week, travel from five more countries will be exempt from quarantine rules.

People travelling from another five countries will no longer have to quarantine for two weeks when they arrive in Scotland.

The Scottish Government has announced that from Tuesday July 28, passengers from Estonia, Latvia, Slovenia, Slovakia and St Vincent and the Grenadines will be exempt from quarantine rules.

The decision follows a review of infection prevalence rates of coronavirus.

Five more countries will be exempt from Scotland's travel rules from next week. Picture: Lisa Ferguson/JPI Media

However, the Government warned exemptions are kept under regular review and could be reinstated if the prevalence rates increase.

It comes after the two-week quarantine rule for people arriving in Scotland from Spain was lifted this week.

Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf said: "Infection prevalence rates in countries across the world are being closely monitored.

"Where there is clear evidence that it is safe to do so, we will add further countries and we are now able to do that for Estonia, Latvia, Slovenia, Slovakia and St Vincent and the Grenadines.

"The virus remains infectious and deadly and, with quarantine restrictions being lifted, we must not become complacent.

"Anyone travelling should follow public health advice at all times including wearing face coverings, avoiding crowded places, washing hands and surfaces, staying two metres apart and, if they get symptoms, self-isolating and immediately registering for a test."

All international travellers arriving into Scotland, apart from a very limited number of exemptions, must complete a passenger locator form and provide evidence that they have done so on arrival in the UK if requested to do so by a Border Force official.

People who do not complete the form and present it when asked on arrival may be fined £60.

The fine can be doubled for each subsequent offence up to a maximum of £480.

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