From Monday at 4am travellers coming back from Dubai must quarantine for 10 days on arrival in Scotland.
In addition, passengers who have travelled to Scotland from Dubai since 3 January are also being asked to isolate for 10 days, from the date they arrived back in the country.
The Scottish Government says this is all due to a number of positive cases identified in passengers who have flown into Glasgow since New Year. The preventative action is intended to address the significant rise in cases of coronavirus and the increase in cases testing positive in Scotland in recent days.
The Scottish Government guidance is clear – people should not be travelling abroad other than in exceptional circumstances.
Transport Secretary Michael Matheson said: “It is evident, both in Scotland and in countries across the world, that the virus continues to pose real risks to health and to life and we need to interrupt the rise in cases.
“Imposing quarantine requirements on those arriving in the UK is our first defence in managing the risk of imported cases from communities with high risks of transmission. That is why we have made the decision to remove Dubai from the country exemptions list.
“Whether or not an overseas destination has been designated for quarantine restrictions, our message remains clear that people should not currently be undertaking non-essential foreign travel. People need to stay at home to help suppress the virus, protect our NHS and save lives.”
Earlier today it was reported that one member of Celtic Football Club who had travelled with the team to a training camp in Dubai had tested positive for Covid-19 on the team’s return. The new guidance could mean that anyone from Celtic FC who was on the trip, and who arrived back in Scotland on 8 January must now self-isolate, although that is in doubt as they were part of an ‘elite training’ camp overseas.
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