The quarantine has been described as stupid yet many countries have such a scheme or even a total ban on travel including the most successful counties at keep the virus at bay.

The stupidity is not that it exists, but that it should have been enforced in mid March, being charitable, and was largely pointless as a blanket quarantine when it was brought in 2 weeks ago, added to which it is as O'Leary has said on numerous occasions, unenforceable.

Had it been brought in when it was, but targeted at countries like The USA, South America, the Indian Subcontinent and the like it would have been logical and sensible - but of course we didn't want to upset Trump, Modi or their like did we? We need trade deals for some obscure reason I can't seem to recall!

Quarantine would not stop the determined traveller if countries like France were exempt. Imagine flying to Nice then hiring a car or going by train to Italy, no passport checks as both France & Italy are in Schengen. You could fly to Paris and then onwards to anywhere in Schengen on a separate ticket. Assuming you came back the same way Border Force UK would have a hard job to know what countries you had been to, apart from France of course.

The countries with the lowest cases still have blanket bans and quarantines like Australia and New Zealand. Maybe they should lift them or we should introduce them only when our cases are lower?

While the UK quarantine will not stop the determined traveller it will put many people off which is the whole point.

Exactly this. We have an holiday booked to Italy (a part with a very low death rate)at the end of July and are going by train. From there we take the train to Berlin for a couple of weeks and then train back to UK. Once we have taken the Eurostar to Brussels (currently allowed) we can move freely without checks to Italy. Then without checks to Germany and then back to the UK. As Germany is allowing UK citizens in I guess we will reciprocate so I can advise UK Border Force we've been in Germany. No need to mention any of the other travel

UK travellers can 'go freely' to Spain from 21 June

Spain will allow UK travellers to enter the country "freely and without quarantine" from June 21, the Spanish foreign minister, Arancha González Laya, has told the BBC.

At the moment, the same does not apply for visitors from Spain to the UK, but talks are under way between the UK and a number of European countries, including Spain, to form "air bridges".

These could allow people to travel abroad without having to go into quarantine when they arrive at their destination, and when they return home.

Arancha Gonzalez Laya said Spain's decision was partly out of respect for the hundreds of thousands of British citizens who have second homes in Spain.
Courtesy BBC

Politicians are rarely honest. Why can’t the Spanish just say they are desperate for tourist euros?

I too received an update this week from 'Cover For You' (underwritten by AXA). I took out annual cover in January, and my travel is primarily down to Kruger in SA, and Eswatini. So, yes, agree, some positive news. Just need SA to open up, although they say not until Feb 21 (!). Had to cancel a 3 week trip back in May, and will be postponing my Nov 2 week trip too :-( All this no travelling lark is driving me stir crazy.

South Africa is currently at Level 3,which was watered down during the week to now include opening of hairdressers,sitting inside for meals etc.with regards to international air travel from oversea's this shall be at level one,which at the present rate of going through the different levels could be as early as August/September.Comair-Kulula are due to recommence their flight programme in November so this could also be an indication of when the flights will start arriving in S.A.There are no certainties about this (Covid)situation that has been proven by today's announcement regarding Spain which has changed over the last few days I have lost count!

Entry into Spain
From June 21, British nationals no longer need to present a residency certificate to enter Spain. On arrival, travellers entering Spain from the UK will not be required to self-isolate however, they will be subject to the following three requirements: Provide contact information and any history of exposure to COVID-19 Temperature check Undergo a visual health assessment Anyone who presents symptoms or fails one of the above requirements will be seen by a health professional.

Yes, I keep a close eye on the situation, and am in contact with friends over there.
Agree with no certainties, but I have to have my trips to look forward to, otherwise I'll lose the will!

Welcome to Alicante......posted by a passenger on this mornings MAN - ALC flight which they said was approx 70% full....Spain airport was better than Manchester. However airport did 0 checks.. they saw british passport n let us stroll right out. No temp checks, no forms, no nothing....so there you have the reality folks....hmmmmm

Does no one find the above post a little worrying?

Very worrying as you will also now be mingling with plenty of Germans who have an R rate well above 1. Second peak on the horizon !

I think you may want to read the entire report regarding Germany's 'R' rate. I've attached it to help (specifically page 5). Sometimes it's worth reading beyond headlines and poor reporting.

https://www.rki.de/DE/Content/InfAZ/...ublicationFile

Even our own government have moved away from R as a measure, once the levels become low it’s so fluctuant, it’s flicked in Germany from well over to 1 to something like 0.54 a day or two later.

Exactly but journalists have been given their ammunition and 'R' and '>1' are it. People are clearly just accepting things pushed by journalists at face value without any understanding.

If was the same when the R maybe above 1 in the SW... the reason mainly was the SW had such a low level of infection compared to other parts of the country!

You get an outbreak in a work place then and it will push it up but thats where the system hopefully will work to trace and isolate.

The Romanian and Bulgarian meat processing workers are not too keen being placed into quarantine in Germany and had have been fighting the police as they try to make their escape. I doubt their governments will be chartering aircraft to fly them home.

https://www.barrons.com/news/german-...754905?tesla=y

I know about the finer details, but who wants to take the chance and risk their family if the a Spanish airport is not carrying out the checks as per previous post ! Who knows what they are letting in. So the R rate is not important if they can just let it in without checks ?