Portugal removed from travel ‘red list’, raising hopes for summer holidays

Portugal has been removed from the government’s “red list” of nations from which travel is severely restricted.

Mauritius has also been removed.

However, four other countries have been added: Ethiopia, Oman, Somalia and Qatar.

Portugal’s removal comes exactly two months after it was placed on the high-risk list and a month after mandatory hotel quarantine was imposed on any arrivals from the southern European country to the UK.

The announcement has raised hopes that British holidaymakers may be able to visit Portugal from 17 May. That is the earliest possible date on which the UK might lift the current ban on international journeys.

A limited number of flights between the UK and the key Portuguese airports of Lisbon and Faro are likely to resume shortly.

It had the unfortunate status of being the only European nation on the high-risk list of countries. Portugal was included because of the nation’s strong links with Brazil – source of a coronavirus “variant of concern”.