UNITED KINGDOM: 57 countries to be exempt from self-quarantine in Scotland from 10 July 2020

The Scottish government has released a list of 57 countries (plus 14 UK overseas territories) from which arrivals will not need to self-quarantine from 10 July. Although a constituent country of the UK, as a devolved administration Scotland has chosen to issue its own entry requirements. It's list is, though, identical to England's with the exception that Scotland has chosen to omit visitors from Spain and Serbia as being exempt from quarantine.
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AUSTRALIA: Country's government considering limiting numbers of returning citizens and residents

The country's prime minister said today, 8 July, that the government could restrict the number of people returning to the country, following the news of strict lockdown measures being re-imposed in the state of Victoria. The prime minister said he wants to reduce the number of Australian citizens, permanent residents, and foreigners exempt from Australia’s travel ban that are landing at Australian airports, in order to ease the strain on hotel quarantine.
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TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO: International flights set to resume from 1 September 2020

The Caribbean country is aiming for a tentative planned resumption date of 1 September for international flights. In the meantime, British Airways have accordingly cancelled all flights between Trinidad and Tobago and the UK until 31 August; Virgin Atlantic have said that they plan to re-start flights to the country from October.
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JAPAN: Restrictions on public events to ease from 10 July 2020

The country's economy minister has announced that the government had agreed with members of a new expert panel to ease restrictions on holding events from 10 July. The relaxation comes despite Tokyo reportedly confirming 102 new COVID-19 cases as of 6 July, in what was the fifth straight day that the tally of new cases exceeded 100.
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AUSTRALIA: Melbourne and neighbouring area return to 'Stay at Home' restrictions

The government of the Australian state of Victoria have announced that in line with advice from their chief health officer, the areas of both metropolitan Melbourne and nearby Mitchell Shire will return to stage three of 'Stay at Home' restrictions from 23.59 (local time) on 8 July. The measures have been re-introduced due to what the government calls a 'significant increase' in COVID-19 transmission in these areas. Under stage three there are a limited list of essential purposes for which residents are permitted to leave home, including to shop for essential supplies or to exercise.
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LEBANON: Updated COVID-19 testing procedures for international arrivals to Beirut

Following the re-opening of Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport on 1 July, passengers arriving in the airport are required to comply with testing and self-isolation measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Depending on the availability of PCR testing in the passengers' country of origin, they will be required to either present a negative result prior to travel and/or complete a testing procedure on arrival in Lebanon; all testing undergone on arrival will be chargeable, but in some cases the fees will be covered by airlines at their discretion.
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KENYA: Country's president announces phased re-opening from COVID-19 lockdown

The country's president has announced a phased re-opening of the country from its COVID-19 lockdown. From today, 7 July, movement restrictions in the Nairobi area will ease, as well as in the port city of Mombasa and northeastern Mandera; a current nationwide curfew between 21.00 and 04.00 has however been extended for a further 30 days. Domestic passenger flights will resume on 15 July, and international travel will resume from 1 August.
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LATVIA: EU citizens no longer required to self-isolate on arrival

The country's government has announced that citizens of the EU, the European Economic Area and Switzerland, as well as people who live permanently in those countries are no longer required to self-isolate for 14 days upon their arrival in Latvia, as long as their home countries have maintained an incidence of less than 16 COVID-19 cases in 100,000 people for the previous 14 days. Epidemiological data is updated every Friday and published on the Latvian Centre for Disease Prevention and Control website.
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INDIA: SpiceJet to operate 25 repatriation flights from UAE, Saudi Arabia and Oman

The Indian low-cost airline SpiceJet is currently operating 25 flights under India's national repatriation drive, known as the Vande Bharat Mission (VBM). The airline will help bring back close to 4500 Indians stranded in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Oman under the initiative. SpiceJet has so far operated six of the scheduled special flights, bringing back over a thousand Indian nationals; it will operate another 19 flights this month from Ras Al-Khaimah, Jeddah, Dammam, Riyadh and Muscat.
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EMIRATES: Arriving passengers from Pakistan required to carry negative COVID-19 test report

Dubai-based airline Emirates has now resumed passenger flights to and from Pakistan, after a temporary suspension of eight days finishing on 1 July; all passengers arriving in Dubai from Pakistan must, though, carry a negative COVID-19 test result from a branch of Chunghtai Labs, an approved laboratory which will share the results directly with the airline. Branches of the laboratory can be found within all big cities in Pakistan, and passengers must take along their passport and confirmed booking within 96 hours of their departing flight.
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MADAGASCAR: COVID-19 lockdown imposed on country's central region

Madagascar has placed one of its main regions, which covers the capital Antananarivo, back under a strict lockdown following a surge in COVID-19 infections. The lockdown came into effect on 7 July and will end on 20 July - it includes a ban on traffic in and out of the region and a curfew on the movement of people on the street.
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UNITED KINGDOM: COVID-19 restrictions lifted in Wales and tourism starts to re-open

The country of Wales has now started to re-open to tourism as COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted. From March, a ‘stay local’ requirement has meant residents were required to stay less than five miles from their home, in addition to restrictions being in place at the border with England. Visitors are now able to travel into and around Wales, and the tourism sector including self-catering accommodation can begin to welcome guests from 11 July, if conditions allow.
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NORWEGIAN: Airline releases latest COVID-19 updates

Norwegian Air Shuttle, the low-cost airline which trades is 'Norwegian', has released its latest round of updates on cancellation, re-booking and changes to services during COVID-19. There is also information on the meal services on board, changes to hand baggage requirements and the mandatory use of face masks on board.
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AIR NEW ZEALAND: New bookings suspended for international flights to New Zealand until 26 July 2020

Air New Zealand advises that following a request from the country's government, a hold has been placed on all new bookings for international flights into New Zealand - this is effective immediately until at least 26 July. The measure has been put in place in order to ease pressure on quarantine facilities.
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ETIHAD: Airline to charge passengers travelling to Lebanon for COVID-19 arrival testing

Abu Dhabi-based airline Etihad has published details surrounding the collection of COVID-19 PCR test charges for all passengers travelling from the UAE to Beirut, Lebanon; since 1 July, negative PCR test results have been required by Lebanon either before and/or after departure depending on whether testing facilities are available in the passengers' country of origin. Etihad will bear part of the costs payable for arriving testing, but will also add an additional US$50 fee as a tax charge to new and existing tickets.
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UNITED KINGDOM: London Heathrow Airport awaits green light on COVID-19 arrival testing

The UK government is deciding whether to give the green light on London's Heathrow Airport becoming the first UK airport to offer medical COVID-19 tests. The Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) pilot testing scheme would be available for passengers arriving from countries that are not exempt from England's quarantine regulations such as the U.S., Portugal, China and Brazil. If passengers are given the all-clear with negative tests results they wouldn't have to self-isolate for 14 days. The scheme reportedly has the complete support of the country's transport minister.
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RWANDA: Commercial passenger flights set to resume from 1 August 2020

The country has announced that its airports will re-open to commercial flights on 1 August; the news follows its 17 June re-opening of domestic tourism and international charter flights. Incoming passengers, including those in transit, will be required to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test from a certified laboratory, taken within 72 hours of arriving in Rwanda. Anyone entering the country will also be subject to self-quarantine on arrival at their own cost, while awaiting the results of a second test within 24 hours.
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INDONESIA: Bali plans to re-open to international tourism from September 2020

Bali's local government plan to re-open to international tourism from September, around a month earlier than planned, according to Reuters. Meanwhile, the southeast Asian island will gradually re-open to domestic Indonesian visitors this month from 9 July onwards. Officials have said they will be maintaining a 'strict health protocol' to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
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SPAIN: Region of Catalonia imposes lockdown on an area of 210,000 people

The government in Spain's Catalonia region has re-imposed COVID-19 controls on an area of 210,000 people after a sharp rise in infections. The region's president has said no-one will now be allowed to enter or leave Segrià, an agricultural area west of Barcelona which includes the city of Lleida. The local lockdown began on the afternoon of 4 July, with provisions made to allow non-residents to leave.
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QATAR AIRWAYS: Airline makes face shields mandatory onboard flights

Passengers flying with Qatar Airways are now required to wear a face shield throughout their flight, in addition to a face mask or covering. Face shields will be available at check-in at Doha's Hamad International Airport, where the airline is based. If passengers are travelling on Qatar Airways flights from other destinations, face shields will be distributed at the boarding gate.
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