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Spain will require all arriving travelers to quarantine for 14 days

May 12, 2020
3 min read
Spain Eases Lockdown As Death Rate Slows
Spain will require all arriving travelers to quarantine for 14 days
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Traveling to Spain in the near-term will require a mandatory period in isolation. On May 12, Spain announced that it was set to impose a mandatory 14-day quarantine for international arrivals.

Beginning May 15, Spain will require that all passengers arriving from international destinations self-quarantine for two weeks in an effort to curb the coronavirus from entering the country from abroad. The quarantine requirement will stay in effect through the country's state of emergency period on May 24, but may be extended.

Upon arrival to the country, travelers will be required to complete a location card with contact and accommodation information so authorities can contact them during the two-week quarantine period. The restrictions apply to both Spanish nationals and international travelers.

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Those subjected to the quarantine will be allowed out for essential needs like food, pharmaceutical products, seeking medical attention and for emergency situations. However, if they go outside, they'll be required to wear a face mask.

The government has said there will be some exceptions, such as freight carriers, airline crew and healthcare workers, so long as they haven't been in contact with anyone known to have the coronavirus.

"During the period of de-escalation, the monitoring and health control measures for all international travellers (arriving in Spain) should be increased, to avoid the imported cases," the order from Spain's health ministry said.

Related: Complete country by country guide to re-openings.

Spain is still under a state of emergency until at least May 23, however, restrictions in some low-risk territories have been lifted. Prior to the easing of some restrictions, Spain had been under strict lockdown since March 14.

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The policy from Spain is similar to what has been announced in the U.K. On Sunday night's televised address from Prime Minister Boris Johnson, he said that arriving international air travelers would be required to self-isolate for 14 days. However, that was later changed to reflect that all arriving travelers, regardless of how they crossed into the U.K., will have to self-isolate for 14 days, with some exceptions.

Related: Everything we know about the UK’s mandatory 14-day self-isolation for travelers

Details on the specifics of the U.K.'s quarantine remain vague. There's still no start or end date in place. Additionally, the government has made clear that the restriction doesn't apply to travelers arriving from Ireland, Guernsey, Jersey, the Isle of Man and France.

For travelers eyeing a trip to Spain, keep in mind that the Foreign & Commonwealth Office still advises against all non-essential travel.

According to Johns Hopkins University, more than 26,000 deaths have been recorded in Spain.

Featured image by Getty Images