HERE WE GO! BORIS TO REVEAL HOLIDAY LIST
BORIS Johnson is clearing foreign holiday plans for lift-off in a welcome step towards our freedom.
The PM will unveil a “green list” of countries next week where travel will be allowed.
It means that lockdown-weary families will at last be able to fly to hotspots
around the world as soon as mid-May.
The move is the latest in a raft of good news as the UK roars back to life after the horrors of Covid.
Mr Johnson will also announce greater freedoms for care home residents from next week.
And, in a further boost, a leading economist has predicted Britain will experience its biggest economic boom since the aftermath of the Second World War.
Barclays boss Jes Staley said the coronavirus vaccine programme, combined with £200billion in built-up savings, will help to drive the rebound.
He said: “We estimate the UK economy will grow at its fastest rate since 1948. That’s pretty spectacular.”
In another boost, it is expected to be announced people can hug each other again from May 17.
Mr Johnson’s roadmap to freedom could see foreign travel resume from mid-May.
Encouraging
Under the new travel plans, countries will be divided into green, amber and red lists which will determine rules for quarantine and testing when you return to the UK.
The green list is the most appealing for holidaymakers because it doesn’t require self-isolation or quarantine. It could include up to 24 countries.
France has already announced vaccinated Britons can travel to the country from early June, while Greece also offered hope of nonessential travel over the summer.
Portugal, Malta, the Maldives and some Caribbean islands could also be included.
A Downing Street source said: “Down the line more countries will be added to the green list.
“This is just the beginning, though we are hopeful that holidaymakers will have a wide variety of choice.
“We recognise how important holidays are for so many people and that people have been patient for a long time.
“The safety of the public is still paramount and these decisions will be taken carefully to ensure we’re protected from any new variants.”
But some countries, such as Australia, which Britain would want to allow travel to, are reluctant to admit UK tourists in.
Further good news came as it was revealed the cost of coronavirus tests for holidaymakers has dropped to £45 each under plans to force down prices. Across England, cases have fallen to record lows, with every region in the country reporting reductions in the infection rate.
Experts say the UK as a whole is moving out of the pandemic and into a more manageable stage.
With the pandemic now receding, the Government has announced that all care home residents will be able to participate in more out of home visits without having to isolate on their return.
From Tuesday, residents will also be able to leave their care homes to visit a friend or family member in their garden, or go on walks in parks, gardens and beaches. They will not have to self-isolate when they return.
Residents must be accompanied by either a care worker or nominated visitor and follow the guidelines of washing hands regularly, social distancing and remaining outside.
The Prime Minister said: “We know how challenging this time has been for care home residents, so I am pleased that they can now leave their homes to reunite with their loved ones outdoors.
“With the data continuing to head in the right direction and as restrictions ease, it is my priority to keep increasing visits for residents in the coming weeks in a safe and controlled way.”
Minister for Care Helen Whately said: “I know residents and their families have found the restrictions on trips out of care homes incredibly difficult.
“This is one more step towards getting back to normal, while protecting care homes from the continued risk of Covid-19.
“Care home residents will be able to leave to spend time outdoors. I know this has been long awaited for those who haven’t had a chance to enjoy trips out. I look forward to encouraging more visiting and trips out in future as we turn the tide on this cruel virus.”
Visits out of the care home should take place solely outdoors, except for the use of toilet facilities, with no trips to indoor spaces allowed.
An exemption will be in place for those who wish to vote in person in the upcoming local elections as long as they follow national restrictions and measures in place at polling stations.
The move comes after the Daily Express highlighted campaigners who have fought since
lockdown began to end the restrictions that block relatives from visiting loved ones in care homes.
Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care Professor Deborah Sturdy said: “The pandemic has been so challenging for those living in care homes and our social care workforce have done a heroic job of keeping their residents safe.
“I know this change to the guidance will be hugely welcomed by many and give so many the chance to safely leave their home.”
Arrangements in areas with high levels of infection will need additional local advice from public health officials, it was said.
Latest statistics show that 95 per cent of residents have received their first dose of the vaccine and 71 per cent have been given their second.
Residents who have tested positive, or who have symptoms, must self-isolate and would therefore not be able to leave the care home.
Meanwhile, Mr Johnson yesterday chaired a virtual G7 business meeting inside the cabinet room of 10 Downing Street, where the focus was on the future of the global economy.
The PM also enjoyed a walkabout in Romford, east London, with the Tory London mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey.
ASALVO of announcements provides the clearest evidence yet the joys of much-missed normality will return soon. The Prime Minister will next week name the first countries we will be able to visit for a holiday.
Meanwhile, care home residents have been told that from Tuesday they will be able to visit a friend or family member’s garden and not have to self-isolate when they return.
To add to the excitement, the boss of Barclays has predicted that the “UK economy will grow at its fastest rate since 1948” .
This triple whammy of good news will lift the spirits of millions.
It will be a deeply emotional moment when beloved grandparents are welcomed back into gardens. People across Britain will savour the return of simple pleasures we will never again take for granted.
We will emerge a stronger, wiser, kinder and more united kingdom.