Red-list Turkey should go amber, say data experts

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Sixteen weeks after the UK government placed Turkey on the “red list,” requiring arrivals to go into hotel quarantine, two leading Covid data experts have predicted the nation will be moved to the “amber list” this month. But leading data experts predict that at the next “traffic light” review, expected on 15 or 16 September, Turkey will be moved to the medium-risk amber category. “I suspect it will be removed from the red list in the next review, much to the relief of many separated families.” Ben McCluskey, who tweets as @BenkersBen, went further, saying: “There is little justification for Turkey to remain on the ‘red’ list given there are amber-listed countries with a higher seven-day incidence rate, such as France and Greece.” He added that Turkey has “significantly increased” its contribution to Gisaid – the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data, which compiles data on variants of concern. Mr McCluskey said: “Although the country’s place on the ‘red’ list may have previously been justified, given the questions around credibility of Turkey’s data last summer and lack of genomic sequencing, it is no longer justified.” A spokesperson for the DfT said: “Decisions on red, amber or green list assignment and associated border measures are taken by ministers, who take into account the Joint Biosecurity Centre’s public health risk assessments, alongside wider public health factors.” Were the move to take place, arrivals would still need to provide a test before departure and take a PCR test after arrival.