Foreign holidays announcement to be made in 3 weeks – the four key factors that will influence government’s decision
EAGER Brits hope to be able to go on holiday from May 17, if the lockdown rules are lifted. The government’s Global Travel Taskforce will announce in three weeks time on April 12 when holidays abroad will be allowed. Currently, all non-essential travel is banned although this is to be lifted for UK holidays next […]
EAGER Brits hope to be able to go on holiday from May 17, if the lockdown rules are lifted.
The government’s Global Travel Taskforce will announce in three weeks time on April 12 when holidays abroad will be allowed.
Currently, all non-essential travel is banned although this is to be lifted for UK holidays next month.
If foreign travel is approved, a “traffic light” system could be used to allow Brits to go on holidays to low risk destinations.
The scheme being considered by ministers will make it easier for holidaymakers to flock to lower risk “green” areas.
The three-tiered system could see passengers flying to certain countries exempt from pre-departure tests and a mandatory quarantine when they return.
Those looking to get away to higher risk “red” destinations could face tough restrictions such as extra Covid-19 tests and an isolation period.
However, holidays abroad all depend on four factors regarding the coronavirus pandemic, both in the UK and around the world.
The vaccine rollout, the spread of the virus and the new Covid variants are all being considered by the taskforce to be allowed to reduce travel restrictions.
Here are the four key stages which need to be improved before travel abroad can go ahead.
Vaccine rollout in the UK and abroad
One of the most important factors that will allow normal life to resume is the rollout of the vaccine.
Britain is one of the leading countries for the vaccine rollout in the world – more than 27m people in the UK have been given their first jab, with 2.2m given their second jab.
A record-breaking 844,285 people were given the jab in one day over the weekend.
However, countries abroad are much further behind than the UK, which has given the first jab to 40 per cent the population – Greece, Spain, Portugal, France and Italy are all still less than 10 per cent.
While it is great news for the UK’s situation, the slow uptake in Europe could hinder travel abroad.
Global virus situation
Cases in the UK are falling with less than 10,000 new daily infections per day since February, after reaching a record high of more than 60,000 back in January.
For holidays to go ahead, the situation abroad has to be monitored as well.
A number of countries in Europe are facing a third wave and going back into lockdown, including Italy, Germany and France.
Greece also reported a record number of new daily Covid cases, although is still keen to welcome Brits from May.
France could even be placed onto the UK’s travel ban list due to soaring cases, especially of the South African variant.
Spread and location of Covid variants
The location of the different Covid strains will play a part in where and when holidays will be able to go ahead.
Portugal was initially added to the UK’s travel ban list due to its connections with Brazil, home to one of the coronavirus variants.
This was removed last week, along with Mauritius, although Ethiopia, Oman, Qatar and Somalia were all added.
France could also be the next country to be added to the list, making it the only European destination on the list, due to the South African strain in the country.
The UAE, which includes Dubai, also remains on the red list.
Effectiveness of vaccine on Covid variants
New Covid variants pose the biggest risk to holidays going ahead, due to the fears that vaccines may not be as effective on them, in particular the South African strain which is 70 per cent more transmissible.
Other strains include the Kent variant which is most prevalent in the UK and the Brazil variant.
Studies are being conducted to see if the new strains are still affected by the vaccine.
However, promising research has found that the Oxford, AstraZeneca and Pfizer jabs appear to work well against the Brazil variant.
Most read in News Travel
When asked about whether it’s going to be possible to jet off abroad, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said the Government “can’t be deaf and blind” to what is going on in Europe and warned against being “reckless in any way”.
He made the claims just a day after Government scientist Dr Mike Tildesley said holidays abroad are “highly unlikely” this year.
He said allowing holidaymakers to flock to foreign countries could “jeopardise” the UK’s vaccination campaign and let new Covid variants in.
Social Care Minister Helen Whately said families should be ‘cautious’ until at least next month when the government will announce when a foreign trips can go ahead.