Spain won’t go on red list, experts predict

‘Fewer travellers testing positive when returning to UK than in the last update’ says data expert Tim White

Spain will likely stay on the amber list in next week’s travel review (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Spain will stay on the amber list in next week’s traffic light review, travel industry experts have predicted.

Noting “another 29 per cent drop” in cases in the country, data specialist and journalist Tim White tweeted, “Spain seems certain to stay amber,” encouraging one follower to “Go and enjoy”.

“[Spain] won’t be going red at the next review. Rates on every level are falling quite sharply,” agreed travel consultant and CEO of the PC Agency Paul Charles.

The next review of the UK’s traffic light system for travel destinations is set to be announced in the middle of next week - likely Wednesday 25 or Thursday 26 August.

The red, amber and green list system is currently updated every three weeks, with the most recent changes announced on 4 August.

Though acknowledging a rise in the number of Covid variants being detected in travellers arriving from Spain, White emphasised that fewer variants are being recorded there than at the time of the last travel review.

This is despite two thirds more travellers arriving back into the UK from Spain than at the beginning of August.

In a mega-thread of Covid data analysis from countries all over the world, White also predicted that Greece and Portugal will stay on the amber list, saying “No worrying data for any EU nation, #Greece #Portugal #Cyprus etc”.

He suggested that Morocco may move to the red list next week, following a surge in cases.

The Maldives and Dominican Republic - currently both red - may open up to travellers next week, said White, who “strongly believe(s)” both “must” move to the amber list based on the most recent data.

Despite a small rise in cases, he also predicted that Turkey “has a chance at coming off the red list”, but that Jamaica, where cases are rising, may move onto it.

Mexico is similarly likely to stay on the red list following a record number of infections and an increase in Covid deaths.

Further afield, White noted a “massive rise” in cases in Japan, which were up “almost 50 per cent” as of yesterday.