RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The Spanish government extended on Saturday, April 17, until the beginning of May, the rule that requires all passengers from 12 countries, including Brazil, Peru, Colombia, and nine African countries, to comply with quarantine, for fear of the spread of new variants of the coronavirus.
Spain justifies its decision by “concern about the effects of the Brazilian and South African variants,” their “greater transmissibility”, the risk of reinfection and a possible decrease in vaccine effectiveness, due to their extension to nearby countries where they were initially detected.
Travelers arriving from Brazil, South Africa, Botswana, Comoros Islands, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Peru and Colombia, “with or without intermediate stops, must comply with quarantine during the ten days following their arrival, or during their entire stay in Spain, if it is shorter than this period,” as published in the Official State Gazette (BOE) on Saturday.
The quarantine may be lifted after seven days if the person shows a negative PCR test for covid-19.
During the quarantine, people “must remain at home, or in their lodgings,” and may only go out to buy food, medicines, and necessities, to receive medical attention, or for “causes of force majeure,” the BOE indicates. The measure will be in effect at least until May 3.
One of the European countries most affected by the pandemic, with about 77,000 deaths and more than 3.4 million cases, Spain and other countries, stops the arrivals of passengers from South Africa and Brazil, except for Spanish citizens and foreign residents in Spain, or in Andorra.