Scotland imposes 14-day quarantine on arrivals from Luxembourg over surge in coronavirus cases
- The measures will come into effect from midnight, the Scottish Government said
- Almost certain to be followed by similar moves in England and other UK nations
- SNP’s Humza Yousaf: there is a ‘clear indication’ virus is active and still spreading
Scotland is to impose 14-day quarantine on arrivals in the country from Luxembourg, its government announced today.
The measure, which follow the UK-wide quarantine move against Spain last weekend, will come into effect from midnight and seems almost certain to be followed by similar moves in England and the other home nations.
Luxembourg, along with Belgium, had been mooted as ripe for a return to quarantine travel in recent days. The tiny duchy, which borders France, Belgium and Germany, has the highest incidence of coronavirus cases per 100,000 people in Europe.
In a statement this afternoon, SNP justice minister Humza Yousaf said: ‘This decision is based on the latest available data from the Joint Biosecruity Centre and it gives another clear indication that the virus is active and still spreading.
‘We have always maintained that we are closely monitoring the pandemic situation in all countries and we will impose quarantine requirements as necessary in a bid to protect the public.
‘This virus is showing a resurgence in areas and it should not be forgotten how deadly it remains. Our priority to is suppress the virus, prevent it from being transmitted and protecting public health.’
The measures, which follow the UK-wide quarantine move against Spain last weekend, will come into effect from midnight and seems almost certain to be followed by similar moves in England and the other home nations
Luxembourg has the highest incidence of coronavirus cases per 100,000 people in Europe
In a statement this afternoon, SNP justice minister Humza Yousaf said: ‘This decision is based on the latest available data from the Joint Biosecruity Centre and it gives another clear indication that the virus is active and still spreading’
It came as Boris Johnson today urged Britons not to ‘delude themselves’ that the coronavirus crisis is over amid fears of a second wave of cases across Europe.
The Prime Minister said the public should not ‘lose focus’ and pointed to evidence that local outbreaks are ‘bubbling up’ in 30 different areas of the UK.
His comments came after Health Secretary Matt Hancock denied stoking up Covid-19 panic and hysteria after he warned a second wave was ‘starting to roll across Europe’ – and defended the sudden decision to add Spain to the list of quarantine countries and extending the isolation period to ten days for people who have tested positive or have symptoms.
This morning, BBC broadcaster Nick Robinson repeatedly asked Mr Hancock if he was being hysterical about rising cases in Europe and the UK because infection rates are nowhere near the lockdown peak and are likely to be a symptom of society returning to a new normal.
Mr Robinson also asked if he was overreacting because of a fear of repeating mistakes Number 10 made at the start of the outbreak, such as not quarantining travellers from abroad.
The Health Secretary said: ‘No, it’s not [risking hysteria]. I’m the Health Secretary in the middle of the pandemic.
‘We are absolutely determined to protect this country and it saddens me we are seeing these rises elsewhere but I will be vigilant and we will move fast if we need to because that is what the virus requires and the virus moves fast and so must we.’
Labour MP Chris Bryant today called for ministers to calm down, saying ‘we need a stiletto not a sledgehammer’ to tackle clusters of coronavirus. He said: ‘It makes me so angry the government are so loose with their language. There isn’t a second wave rolling out across Europe. There are worrying signs of individual spikes of increased infection in some areas.’