English Tourists Return from Portugal to Avoid COVID-19 Quarantine

Tourists rushed home to England ending their summer holidays in Portugal on Friday to avoid a mandatory quarantine reimposed by London as coronavirus cases in the southern European nation continued to rise.

British authorities announced on Thursday anyone arriving in England from Portugal, excluding the Azores and Madeira archipelagos, after on Saturday will need to self-isolate for 14 days.

"It's typical British arrogance," English tourist Jeremy Moore said as he waited at the check-in queue at Lisbon airport. "I know how sloppy hygiene measures are in the UK where I live."

Ilona Chylicka, a Pole who has lived in England for more than a decade, had to book a last-minute flight.

"It feels very safe here," she said. "I don't see the reason why we should (quarantine) but obviously they are imposing those restrictions so we have to go back."

Portugal under quarantine 

Portugal spent only three weeks off the list of countries on England's self-quarantine rule.

"It is annoying they keep changing it all the time," said English visitor Ellie Cook, who also had to change her travel plans. "It wasn't very fair."

Home to 10 million people, Portugal initially won praise for its response to the pandemic but cases have crept back up, with the health authority reporting on Thursday 585 new infections.