Prime minister Boris Johnson has warned that there are signs of a second wave of coronavirus in Europe.
It comes after the UK government removed Spain from its list of countries safe for travel following a surge of confirmed cases in the country.
The decision has left hundreds of holidaying Brits facing a 14-day quarantine upon their arrival home in the UK, and has sparked concerns over workers losing wages from having to stay home.
Labour has called for the government to abandon its 'one size fits all' approach and introduce 'smarter measures' for Brits returning from Spain - but the prime minister has insisted the right decision has been made.
“What we have to do is take swift and decisive action where we think that the risks are starting to bubble up again,” he said.
“Let’s be absolutely clear about what’s happening in Europe, amongst some of our European friends, I’m afraid you are starting to see in some places the signs of a second wave of the pandemic.”
Mr Johnson said it was up to individuals to decide whether they wanted to take the risk of going abroad in the present circumstances.
Yesterday, he warned that no travel during the pandemic would be risk-free and ministers have reiterated that anyone going on holiday this summer could face a period of quarantine on their return home.
“These are decisions for families, for individuals, about where they want to go,” the prime minister added.
He said the quarantine measures were aimed at stopping cases being brought in to the UK.
“It’s vital that when people are coming back from abroad, if they are coming back from a place where I’m afraid there is another outbreak, they must go into quarantine," he explained.
“That’s why we have taken the action that we have and we will continue, throughout the summer, to take such action where it is necessary.”
Asked about reports the 14-day quarantine period could be reduced to 10 days with a negative coronavirus test result, Mr Johnson said: “We are always looking at ways in which we can mitigate the impact of the quarantine, try to help people, try to make sure that the science is working to help travellers and holidaymakers.
“At the moment you have got to stick with the guidance that we are giving, we have given the guidance now about Spain and about some other places around the world.
“I’m afraid if we do see signs of a second wave in other countries it is really our job, our duty, to act swiftly and decisively to stop … travellers coming back from those places seeding the disease here in the UK.”
He added that the UK has to be “vigilant” regarding the threat of a second wave of Covid-19.
Mr Johnson said: “The most important thing is for everybody in all communities to heed the advice, to follow the advice, not to be spreading it accidentally and get it right down, and we’ll be able to ease the restrictions across the country.
“But clearly we now face, I’m afraid, the threat of a second wave in other parts of Europe and we just have to be vigilant and we have to be very mindful.”
The decision to impose quarantine restrictions on travellers returning from Spain was made after England’s chief medical officer Chris Whitty reportedly told ministers that 10 Brits who tested positive for coronavirus after July 1 had reported visiting the country in the 14 days before their test.
Brits make up over a fifth of foreign visitors to Spain, which relies heavily on tourism, and Madrid has said the UK Government gave it no warning that the quarantine move was coming last weekend.
