More Healthcare Professionals for Ports & Airports

In a statement, Salvador Illa’s department explained that since July 1 there has been a "very important" reinforcement of personnel at airports and that in the coming weeks, depending on the need, more Doctors, Nurses and Healthcare Assistants will be hired.

The extra staff are in addition to the 100 Auxiliary Company employees already added to ports and airports on June 21 when the EU and Schengen Area borders were reopened.

The Health Department also hopes that the digitisation of the Passenger Health Control Form, which is also known as the Passenger Location Card or PLC, will speed up the transit of passengers.

The form used for people entering Spain during the State of Emergency included the address that passengers were staying at and information about coronavirus symptoms or infection and was completed on the plane and handed in on arrival.

The digital document can be completed online at www.spth.gob.es or by downloading the Spain Travel Health-SpTH App which is already available for Android and will soon be available for Apple. The form can also be printed for those who don’t have internet access.

The Health Control Form is one of three mandatory controls for people coming to Spain. Passengers will also have their temperature taken via thermal imaging cameras and undergo a visual control by Healthcare Professionals.

The Health Department has emphasised that "the security of both the people arriving in Spain and residents of the country is guaranteed at all times," and insisted that decisions over which third country borders will be opened are made based on epidemiological criteria and the situation in those countries must be the same or better than EU member countries.”