Estonia extends quarantine requirement to eight European countries
Passengers from eight European Union countries will have to quarantine for 14 days upon entering Estonia from Monday.
From today, passengers arriving from Bulgaria, Croatia, Luxembourg, Portugal, Sweden, Romania, the Czech Republic and the United Kingdom must remain in isolation for two weeks.
The Czech Republic and Croatia were added to the list on Friday after their coronavirus infection rates rose above 15 per 100,000.
A list of infection rates in EU/EEA countries is published below.
- Austria 8,8
- Belgium 9,6
- Bulgaria 23,6
- Croatia 15,7
- Czechia 18,2
- Cyprus 1,2
- Denmark 8,1
- Finland 2,2
- France 11,9
- Germany 8,5
- Greece 2,2
- Hungary 0,9
- Iceland 10,0
- Ireland 2,7
- Italy 4,9
- Latvia 0,7
- Liechtenstein 0,0
- Lithuania 1,5
- Luxembourg 48,6
- Malta 1,6
- Netherlands 6,1
- Norway 3,9
- Poland 10,9
- Portugal 46,0
- Romania 24,3
- Slovakia 2,5
- Slovenia 5,9
- Spain 9,7
- Sweden 144,5
- Switzerland 8,9
- United Kingdom 19,2
The full list and more information is on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website here.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs urges travel be avoided due to the spread of the coronavirus, except to European countries where there are 15 or fewer infected people per 100,000 inhabitants and where there is no need to remain isolated when returning.
Last week, travel restrictions were also lifted for 14 non-EU or -EEA countries from July 6. These countries are:
- Algeria
- Australia
- Canada
- Georgia
- Japan
- Montenegro
- Morocco
- New Zealand
- Rwanda
- Serbia
- South Korea
- Thailand
- Tunisia
- Uruguay
Estonia's borders reopened on June 1 to passengers from European countries.
What does quarantine really mean?
The Police and Border Guard Board's (PPA) definition of what a 14-day quarantine is and what the rules are, is published below:
"It means that a person may not leave his or her place of residence within 14 days, except on the instructions of a healthcare professional or a police officer, or for unavoidable reasons.
"For instance, you may leave home if your life is in danger or you need medical attention, to renew your food supplies, purchase essentials or medicines. In all these cases, you must avoid contact with other people.
"Therefore, you must not go to work or too crowded hiking trails. However, you can, for instance, go running or cycling if you do so without coming into contact with others."
You will also have to sign a compliance agreement when you cross the border into Estonia.
The signer agrees they are aware of the restriction on the freedom of movement and agrees to stay at home or an accommodation facility for 14 calendar days
They must provide personal data and contact details and the address of the home or accommodation facility.
For more information visit the PPA's website here.
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Editor: Helen Wright