This is when quarantine from France will start - and what to do if you have a holiday booked

France has been removed from the UK government’s approved list of safe countries over fears the country could be experiencing a second wave of coronavirus, following a rise in cases.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced the news on Thursday (13 August) evening, meaning travellers returning from France will have to self-isolate for two weeks on their return to the UK.

When does the quarantine rule take effect?

The new quarantine rule will come into force from 4am on Saturday 15 August.

The new rule means that any travellers who return to the UK from France after this date will be required to self-isolate for a period of 14 days.

This rule applies to travellers returning to England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Why has France been added to the quarantine list?

France has been added to the government’s quarantine list in response to the growing number of cases in the country.

The latest 14-day cumulative figures for France show 32.1 coronavirus cases per 100,000 people, raising concerns about further spread.

In the UK, the latest figures show that there are 18.5 coronavirus cases per 100,000 people by comparison.

Mr Shapps said that France was placed into the quarantine list to help keep infection rates down in the UK.

The move follows the government’s decision to remove Spain, including the Balearic and Canary Islands, from the quarantine list last month after a spike in cases were recorded in the country.