Portugal to be removed from England's Covid travel ban red list - but other nations added

Portugal, including Madeira and the Azores, is to be removed from England’s Covid travel ban red list, the Department for Transport said.

But Ethiopia, Oman, Somalia and Qatar will be added, it was announced.

The change will come into affect from 4am on Friday, meaning British and Irish citizens or residents arriving in England from those countries after that time will have to quarantine in a government-approved hotel for 10 days, and any other visitors will be refused entry. A ban on commercial and private planes travelling from Oman, Ethiopia and Qatar will also come into force on Friday to reduce the risk of importing "variants of concern". Portugal's removal from the red list follows evidence that showed the risk of importing a variant "had reduced". It means that passengers arriving into England from these destinations from Friday morning will no longer be required to quarantine in a government-approved hotel.