Boris Johnson to back new traffic-light system giving ‘green light to holidays abroad from May 17’
BORIS Johnson is set to give a green light to holidays abroad from May 17 – after deaths tumbled with five million Brits fully vaccinated. The government will back a traffic-light system which could allow trips abroad in just six weeks, it is claimed. According to the Mail on Sunday the green list will likely […]
BORIS Johnson is set to give a green light to holidays abroad from May 17 – after deaths tumbled with five million Brits fully vaccinated.
The government will back a traffic-light system which could allow trips abroad in just six weeks, it is claimed.
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According to the Mail on Sunday the green list will likely include the Maldives, Gibraltar, Malta and Israel.
However, the first official list of ‘green’ countries will not be announced until next month.
Boris will deliver a boost to holidaymaker’s hopes on Monday when he reveals his roadmap out of lockdown.
It comes after five million Brits have had their second Covid vaccine in a major NHS milestone.
Britain’s record-breaking vaccine rollout saw 256,870 second jabs given in the past 24 hours. It brings the total second jabs to 5,205,505.
And Just 10 Covid deaths were recorded – the lowest level in six months.
Daily case also fell to levels not seen since mid-September yesterday.
Meanwhile the new Oxford Biomedica factory will allow the production of 5 million extra doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine every year, according to the Mail Online.
This means the plant in North Wales will be the most efficient producer of that jab in the world.
And Moderna have promised the UK will soon recieve 200,000 doses of their vaccine every week.
The green list means Brits could reportedly avoid Covid tests as well as quarantine under plans to allow holidays overseas.
Summer holiday hotspots will be ranked under a new traffic lights system — letting Brits fly to “green” countries with low Covid rates and strong vaccine rollouts.
it was claimed that people who have had two doses of the vaccine could avoid quarantining when returning from a medium-risk “amber'” country.
Those who are fully vaccinated may only have to have one test upon arriving back in the UK, the Daily Telegraph reported.
That’s compared with multiple tests and a ten-day quarantine for those who have not been jabbed.
It has also claimed vaccinated holidaymakers could return to the UK from a green list county without having to do a test.
A Government source said: “For amber countries, you would remove home quarantine.
“The debate is whether there will be any testing required instead of quarantine.”
More travel options could be potentially delayed until July or August.
It has been reported there could be as few as 12 countries on the government “green list” for quarantine-free travel initially.
The move, to be unveiled by Boris Johnson, could see Bahrain, with its rapid vaccine rollout, along with Dubai and the US as the top destination wish lists.
Traffic light travel system
GREEN: Anyone returning from these countries must take a pre-flight lateral flow test at their own cost, then take a “sequencing test” within days of landing to check for new strains;
AMBER: Like green but those entering the UK must isolate at home for ten days after arrival. They can get out after five days with a negative test paid for privately;
RED: Arrivals must isolate on their return in an authorised hotel at their own cost — as they do currently.
Caribbean islands including Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda and Barbados, which already have advanced vaccination programmes, are also being tipped as among the first to reopen.
But nations with high virus cases and slow jab rollouts will require more quarantining.
That could deter millions of Brits from heading to Spain’s Benidorm and other European favourites such as France and Greece.
Plans under consideration by the Government’s global travel taskforce could mean holidaymakers who have been fully vaccinated will be able to return from ‘green list’ countries without any tests on arrival.
This is as long as they have negative test results before leaving.
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Those not vaccinated would require another test when they get back.
But travel bans will be in force for “red list countries”.
Brits will have to quarantine in hotels, costing up to £1,750 per person. They would be tested on days two and eight.