Mac's Poll - Let's Vote

As air travel to and from the U.K. takes off, but threats of quarantine and travel bans lurk, summer trips abroad for British travellers are on hold, not over, though.

Even with the much-feared U.K. quarantine coming into effect June 8, summer holiday hopes are within view. There is still a possibility of future exemptions to the quarantine, the British government said in a statement on Friday. It will continue to look at the option of “air bridges”– similar to travel bubbles–between countries with low transmission rates. Together with bolstered screening measures, this would “remove the need for quarantine measures for incoming passengers.”

This could dramatically change holiday outlooks for Brits. For now, the quarantine will apply to all travellers, (bar the Irish). That includes returning British holidaymakers.

Supposing "air-bridges" are agreed between certain areas of Spain and the UK, how would you feel about visiting Spain this summer or in the coming months?

And if you are living in another country, Germany, France, Holland etc. Would you consider visiting Spain this summer?

Please cast your vote:

About 51% of the population is now enjoying the extra freedom 'Phase 1' offers, although the metropolitan areas of Spain's largest three cities remain on 'Phase 0', along with Granada, the Costa del Sol, nearly all of Catalunya, and significant portions of Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y León, and the Comunidad Valenciana.

The government has explained what those living in 'Phase 1' areas can and cannot do, and what those who are not may be able to do in a week or two, depending upon how the virus develops in their territory and the availability of healthcare facilities in reserve to cope with a hypothetical second outbreak.

Visiting friends and family

This is now permitted to some degree – either meeting in the street or in your or their homes – unless they have tested positive for Covid-19, are recovering and in the requisite 15-day home isolation period, or are showing symptoms compatible with the disease.

Anyone considered 'high-risk' due to pre-existing health problems – anything affecting the cardiovascular or respiratory system, anything that compromises their immune system such as being in treatment for cancer, or anything which means contracting Covid-19 would automatically be much more dangerous for them – cannot be visited or have visitors.

The elderly cannot have or make visits.

Those considered high-risk 'due to age' are not permitted to receive visitors, meet others on the street or go to other people's houses, although it is not clear where the cut-off point is. The immune system starts to weaken from around age 60 to 70, those aged 70 or over have specific time slots for going out walking or exercising unless they live in a town with fewer than 5,000 inhabitants, and anyone aged 65 or over is given an exclusive or 'priority' slot for supermarket shopping, but people in this age bracket are not, these days, considered 'elderly', or even, necessarily, 'middle-aged'. In fact, the World Health Organisation (WHO) classes those aged 66 to 79 inclusive as 'middle-aged', and 'elderly' does not start until age 80; however, people of approximately State pension age are thought to be more vulnerable to Covid-19 and the average age of those who have died from the condition is over 73.

So it may be better not to meet up with anyone if you are 65 or more, nor to visit anyone or invite them round if they are in this segment of the population.

How many people can visit each other at once?

Maximum groups of 10 people are allowed in any one house, including members of the household – a person living alone can have nine visitors, but a couple with three children cannot have more than five.

This is also the case when people gather on the street to meet.

So when your region enters phase 1 or if you are already in phase 1, how do you feel about socialising at the moment?

Also, Do you think the Government's plan is sensible?