Germany has added the whole of Ireland, Portugal (including Madeira) and the Faroe Islands to its list of high Covid risk areas. It has also added the regions of Rogaland and Trøndelag in Norway to the list. At the same time, it has removed the region of Päijät-Häme in Finland from the list.
Meanwhile, the UK says it will remove Botswana, Israel (and Jerusalem), Mauritius and Seychelles from its list of travel corridors at 4am on Saturday 9 January. This will mean that arrivals from those countries will need to quarantine for ten days, unless they pay to use the test to release scheme.
The government also said it would ban entry into England from anyone who has travelled from or through any southern African country in the last 10 days, including Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Eswatini, Zambia, Malawi, Lesotho, Mozambique and Angola – as well as Seychelles and Mauritius. This does not include British and Irish Nationals, longer-term visa holders and permanent residents.
The government also announced this morning that arrivals in England would require a negative Covid test taken no more than 72 hours before arrival.
Ireland says that from 9 January, those arriving in Ireland whose journey originated in Great Britain or South Africa will need to provide a negative result from a Covid-19 PCR test taken less than 72 hours before arrival in the country. They will also need to self-isolate for 14 days upon arrival.
The French prime minister, meanwhile, has announced that the border with the UK will remain closed until further notice, except for certain categories of traveller and EU nationals.