UK prepares to make changes to virus travel advice lists
The UK government said travel to Portugal, Israel and several Spanish and Greek islands no longer posed “unacceptably high” coronavirus risks to British tourists.
More reassurance came from Prof Neil Ferguson, an epidemiologist and member of Imperial College London’s Covid-19 response team, who said there was “no risk” to British holidaymakers travelling abroad if coronavirus case numbers in holiday destinations reached levels similar to those in the UK.
Rosa Ana Morilla Rodriguez, director general of tourism for Spain’s Balearic Islands, seized on the news on Tuesday and said British tourists would be welcome to visit as early as this month.
The change in British government advice on Tuesday came a day after the EU announced the easing of travel restrictions by the end of the month, turning the spotlight on updates to the UK’s travel traffic light system.
The latest green, amber and red lists are scheduled to be announced tomorrow and they will determine the quarantine and testing regulations British citizens must follow when international travel resumes on May 17.
While there is no guarantee that the change in advice will mean that popular destinations make it on to the UK’s green list, it does guarantee that people can be insured if they travel to the locations that do.
It is also likely that British tourists will soon be carrying Covid passports, an initiative that on Tuesday won support at the Group of 20 forum.
The documents will be linked to the EU’s Digital Green Certificate and show the bearer has been fully vaccinated, has immunity after recovery, or has recently tested negative.
UK Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi said the British government was still working on its coronavirus certification system.
“The app is one part of the certification process, so it’s very important people have the capability to demonstrate they’ve had a test,” he told Sky News yesterday.
“The transport secretary is leading his G7 colleagues to agree to the protocols for travel around the world.”