Covid in Scotland: France arrivals must quarantine despite rule change
- Published
Fully vaccinated travellers returning to Scotland from France will still have to quarantine despite rules changing.
From Monday, adults who have been double jabbed in the UK arriving from amber list countries will not need to isolate for 10 days.
But the Scottish government said those returning from France would still have to isolate.
This is because of concerns that vaccines may not work as well against the Beta variant.
The Beta variant accounts for about 10% of new infections in France, but that includes the Indian Ocean territories of Reunion and Mayotte, where the variant is near-universal.
The more infectious Delta variant - first identified in India - accounts for almost all new cases in the UK.
The decision was announced less than 36 hours before the requirement for all amber list returnees to self-isolate in their own homes is removed.
Under the new rules, those coming back to Scotland from France will need to stay in their own accommodation and take a test on the second and eighth day of their isolation period - even if they have had both doses of the vaccine.
Travellers will also require to self-identify on the passenger locator form needed for all returnees, according to the government website, by declaring they are not exempt from isolation.
Importation of variants
Transport Secretary Michael Matheson said travel restrictions would not be in place any longer than absolutely necessary.
He said: "We have been clear that the green, amber and red lists can change at short notice.
"It is important we act quickly to limit the risk of importation of variants of concern which could undermine the rollout of our vaccine programme."
Meanwhile, France has tightened its rules for UK travellers who are not fully vaccinated, requiring a negative test in the 24 hours before arrival from Sunday, rather than the 48 hours allowed previously.
But anyone fully vaccinated with a jab from Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca or Johnson & Johnson will be exempt from providing a negative test.
Each UK nation sets its own travel rules, but on Saturday it was announced that travellers from France from England and Wales would also need to isolate.
