Belgium advises citizens not to visit Leicester amid tighter lockdown restrictions

11 July 2020, 14:58

A deserted Leicester city centre, as the city remains in local lockdown
A deserted Leicester city centre, as the city remains in local lockdown. Picture: PA

By Megan White

Belgian citizens have been told not to travel to Leicester while the city faces higher coronavirus lockdown measures during a spike in Covid-19 infections.

Leicester has been put in a "red zone" of risky destinations in the country's travel advice alongside, regions in Portugal and Spain.

The country’s foreign affairs department states that "travel is not allowed" and "quarantine is mandatory upon your return".

The East Midlands city became the first in England to have tighter restrictions reimposed on June 30, after an increase in Covid-19 infections was recorded.

The regularly updated advice is based on "currently available information," according to a note on a Belgian government website.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock announces local lockdown in Leicester

It also gives the go-ahead for travel to other areas of the EU, the Schengen zone and other parts of the United Kingdom.

Brits are now able to travel abroad to certain countries for summer holidays without having to self-isolate upon return.

Travel restrictions imposed by the coronavirus lockdown have been relaxed, with travellers from England, Wales and Northern Ireland able to visit 75 countries quarantine-free.

The Government has published a list of countries and territories from which people arriving into England will no longer need to self-isolate for 14 days.

The list includes Spain, Germany, France and Italy among a long list of other countries and overseas territories.

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The Welsh Government and the Northern Ireland Executive have decided to follow the same approach as England, but the Scottish Government has produced a list of 39 quarantine-free countries, which does not include Spain.

On Thursday, a survey suggested people in four European countries are more likely to oppose inbound UK tourists this summer than they are visitors from the rest of the continent.

While between 40% and 54% of Spaniards would disprove of tourists from a group of European nations, the figure rises to 61% for those from the UK, a YouGov poll indicated.

The opposition of UK holidaymakers is 58% in Germany, 55% in France and 44% in Italy.

Each country would be more welcoming to other European nations, according to the research.