Covid in Scotland: Passenger flights banned from United Arab Emirates

A number of positive cases have been identified among passengers who had flown into Glasgow from Dubai since the new year

Passenger flights from the United Arab Emirates have been banned from entering Scotland under updated Covid measures.

The Scottish government has introduced additional restrictions on travellers arriving from the Gulf nation, as well as Rwanda and Burundi.

Exemptions to isolation will not apply and everyone in their household must also isolate.

Travellers who are not British, Irish or have a right to reside in the UK will be turned away by Border Force.

Aircraft coming from UAE to Scotland carrying passengers from destinations such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi will be banned from 13:00 on Friday.

• UAE among countries added to UK's travel ban list

Transport Secretary Michael Matheson said: "In Scotland and in countries across the world, the virus continues to pose real risks to health and to life and we need to interrupt the rise in cases.

"These measures are essential to reduce risk of importation of new cases and strains, particularly associated with the variant identified in South Africa.

"These changes are essential preventative action and address the risk of new variants entering Scotland with the potential to increase the numbers of cases testing positive or reduce the effectiveness of vaccine."

He added that regardless of whether an overseas destination has additional restrictions people are still being advised not to undertake non-essential foreign travel.

Earlier this month Dubai was added to Scotland's travel quarantine list with anyone coming from the emirate told to self-isolate for 10 days.

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