A QUARTER of Britons say Spain quarantine has made them rethink their holiday plans

EXCLUSIVE: A QUARTER of Britons say the introduction of coronavirus quarantine for Spain has made them rethink their holiday plans and a THIRD are now less likely to go abroad this summer

  • Some 25 per cent said they were considering changes in light of the decision 
  • More than a third said they were now less likely to book a foreign holiday at all 
  •  Holidaymakers were given just five hours notice on Saturday of the change

A quarter of Britons are planning to alter their holiday plans in the wake of the shock decision to re-impose quarantine restrictions on Spain, an exclusive poll for  MailOnline reveals today.

Some 25 per cent said they were considering changes and more than a third (34 per cent) said they were now less likely to book a foreign holiday at all amid fears that other popular destinations could follow in having punitive restrictions put in place. 

But the poll, conducted by Redfield and Wilton Strategies, also found wide support for the way the Government had handled last weekend’s shock announcement.

Holidaymakers were given just five hours notice on Saturday night that those returning from Spain – including its popular islands like Ibiza – would have to self-isolate for 14 days following a spike in coronavirus cases.

But more than four in 10 (42 per cent) believed the Government handled the reintroduction of self-isolation requirements for travellers returning from Spain well or very well.

Just 30 per cent thought it was handled poorly or very poorly. 

There was bad news for Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, who jetted off to Spain with his family hours before the change. More than half (53 per cent) of those polled thought he should have cancelled the trip, even if he was acting on insider knowledge. 

But more than four in 10 (42 per cent) of those polled by Redfield and Wilton Strategies believe the Government handled the reintroduction of self-isolation requirements for travellers returning from Spain well or very well

Boris Johnson today warned the UK is not yet 'out of the woods' of the coronavirus crisis after official statistics showed England had the highest levels of excess mortality in Europe in the first half of 2020

Boris Johnson today warned the UK is not yet ‘out of the woods’ of the coronavirus crisis after official statistics showed England had the highest levels of excess mortality in Europe in the first half of 2020

Some 38 per cent said the Government¿s decision to reintroduce self-isolation requirements for those arriving from Spain has increased their confidence in the Government¿s ability to prevent a second wave of the pandemic

Some 38 per cent said the Government’s decision to reintroduce self-isolation requirements for those arriving from Spain has increased their confidence in the Government’s ability to prevent a second wave of the pandemic

Mr Shapps arrived home to begin his own quarantine yesterday afternoon. 

He and his wife and children left for Spain after the Commons rose for its summer break.

But amid fury at the speed that quarantine had been reimposed on Saturday and concerns that he would be unavailable for a month, he agreed to leave them there and return to his constituency home in Hertfordshire.

Speaking to reporters after arriving back yesterday he defended the decision which ruined his own break – and said he could not rule out the Spanish quarantine being extended to other countries currently clear for people to visit.  

Boris Johnson today warned the UK is not yet ‘out of the woods’ of the coronavirus crisis after official statistics showed England had the highest levels of excess mortality in Europe in the first half of 2020.

The Prime Minister said ‘we mourn every loss of life’ as he argued ‘we really owe it to them to continue our work in driving the virus down’.

He said now is not the time to ‘delude ourselves’ that the pandemic ‘is all over’ as he told the nation: ‘Don’t lose focus, don’t lose discipline.’

Mr Johnson’s comments came after Health Secretary Matt Hancock denied stoking up Covid-19 panic and hysteria after he warned a second wave was ‘starting to roll across Europe’.

In a sign of stoicism among the British public, almost half (49 per cent) of the 2,000 people polled by Redfield and Wilton Strategies for MailOnline on July 29 said that the quarantine plans had not altered the likelihood of them booking a foreign holiday. 

Amid fury at the speed that quarantine had been reimposed on Saturday - at five hours-notice - Mr Shapps agreed to leave them there and return to his constituency home in Hertfordshire

Amid fury at the speed that quarantine had been reimposed on Saturday – at five hours-notice – Mr Shapps agreed to leave them there and return to his constituency home in Hertfordshire

This was on top of the 75 per cent not planning to alter holiday plans already made.

Some 38 per cent said the Government’s decision to reintroduce self-isolation requirements for those arriving from Spain has increased their confidence in the Government’s ability to prevent a second wave of the pandemic. 

Meanwhile, 17 per cent said their confidence has decreased and 43 per cent remained unchanged.

Four in 10 (40 said) said the Government was clear about whether people should book a foreign holiday this summer or not, but almost as many (35) thought the Government had not been clear. 

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