Israel, Iceland and America among only EIGHT countries on the green list for travel from May 17, sources claim

ISRAEL, Iceland and America will be among only EIGHT countries on the green list for travel from May 17, sources have claimed. Other countries will include Ireland, Malta, Australia, New Zealand and Gibraltar according to analysis based on the government’s four “risk” criteria. In a traffic light system of green, amber and red list countries, […]

ISRAEL, Iceland and America will be among only EIGHT countries on the green list for travel from May 17, sources have claimed.

Other countries will include Ireland, Malta, Australia, New Zealand and Gibraltar according to analysis based on the government’s four “risk” criteria.

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Israel, Iceland and America will be among only EIGHT countries on the green list for travel from May 17[/caption]

In a traffic light system of green, amber and red list countries, “green” countries won’t require a UK quarantine when returning.

Countries on the “green” list won’t face quarantine but will need a negative PCR test before returning to the UK, as well as a second one on day two.

Countries on the “amber” and “red” list will face mandatory quarantine restrictions when returning to the UK, either at home or at the quarantine hotels, costing £1,750 per person.

And according to The Telegraph, research from the former strategy chief at BA, Robert Boyle, only a handful of countries will be chosen for the Green list.

Ministers have not unveiled the specific criteria but it is thought to involve the vaccination rate in the destination country, the number of active cases and, of course, any evidence of variants of the Covid-19 virus that may cause concern. 

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This week Greece announced that they will be welcoming vaccinated Brits back from next week, without travel restrictions.[/caption]

A country’s ability to test for these variants will also be taken into consideration.

The Government has said it will reveal details in the next two to three weeks, at the start of May. 

This has been met with dismay by travel firms, who require much more notice to restart flights and tour operations.

From May 17, international travel may be allowed but what Brits need to do about testing and quarantine will depend on the colour each country will be designated under the new system.

In the case of “green” countries you can travel and return home without having to quarantine. 

But you will need to have a negative test to come back into the UK — it is anticipated the cheaper lateral- flow tests will be acceptable — and then take a PCR test within two days of returning.

“Amber” countries will involve spending ten days in quarantine on your return to the UK. You’ll have to take a lateral-flow test to get back into the country as well as two PCR tests, on days two and eight.

“Red” countries will mean a ten-day stay in managed hotel quarantine, with a test before you come back into the country and tests on days two and eight. It currently costs £1,750 per person for hotel quarantine.

This week Greece announced that they will be welcoming vaccinated Brits back from next week, without travel restrictions.

Anyone who is not fully vaccinated will still be able to travel to Greece without a quarantine, if they have a negative test instead taken up to 72 hours before arrival.

This means the current quarantine restrictions are being lifted ahead of the full restart of the tourism industry in Greece from May 14.