Quarantine required for all UK travelers after reports of new COVID-19 variant

Following reports of a new variant of COVID-19 in the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic is now requiring a mandatory 10-day quarantine for all incoming travelers from the UK, the Czech Health Ministry has announced.

The new requirement has been issued with immediate effect.

The mandatory quarantine applies to all travelers who have spent at least 24 hours in the United Kingdom over the past 14 days.

Travelers can take a PCR COVID-19 test on days 5-7 of the 10-day quarantine; if negative, the quarantine may be ended sooner.

Other European countries including the Netherlands, Belgium, and Italy have cancelled flights between the UK; the Czech Republic may follow suit in the coming days.

According to initial reports, the new COVID-19 variant is not believed to be more deadly than other strains, but much more transmissible. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson stated the new variant may be 70% more transmissible, though there is "considerable uncertainty."

The World Health Organization is in contact with UK health officials and has promised to update the public with more information as it becomes available.

In other Czech travel news, Spain has gone yellow and Denmark red on the country's latest COVID-19 travel map.

For residents of the Czech Republic, this allows for restriction-free travel from Spain, while those returning from Denmark now need to undergo a COVID-19 PCR test.

Complete details on entry conditions into the Czech Republic can be found in the Interior Ministry's flow chart below:

However, along with other regulations that went into the effect in the Czech Republic on Friday, tourist travel to the country is now prohibited.

Along with the current PES 4 restrictions, travel to the Czech Republic is now only permitted in urgent and necessary cases.

Full details from the Interior Ministry: