UK government ‘to lay out new summer holiday traffic lights plan on Monday’
The UK government is reportedly set to introduce a new "traffic lights" system that will allow Brits to resume international travel without quarantining.
However holiday hotspots will be ranked according to local coronavirus rates and vaccine rollouts — and popular European destinations will not be at the top.
Locations like Dubai, Bahrain and the US will be given the "green light" status meaning visitors can resume normal life as soon as they return to the UK, although testing will be required.
Meanwhile favourites such as Spain, France and Greece will still require a lengthy period of self-isolation, deterring Brits from making the trip.
Boris Johnson will reportedly unveil the scheme on Monday, along with setting out how the much-anticipated "vaccine passports" will work.
The findings of the Global Travel Taskforce were initially slated to be published on April 12 but that's now been brought forward a week.
This is how the traffic lights travel plan will work, according to the Sun:
- GREEN: Anyone returning from countries assigned green status must take a pre-flight lateral flow test at their own cost, and take a "sequencing test" within days of landing to check for new strains.
- AMBER: Those entering the UK must isolate at home for ten days after arriving from amber countries. They can get out after five days with a negative test, which they'll have to pay for privately.
- RED: Arrivals from these countries must isolate on their return in an authorised hotel at their own cost, as is currently law for all international arrivals.
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"Jab rates will play a crucial part in determining a country's status," a source told the Sun.
Public data about Covid rates and vaccination programmes give an indication of how nations might appear on the list.
Israel is likely to be near the top as it currently leads the world in vaccines, with 110 doses per 100 residents.
This is followed by the United Arab Emirates with 84.1 and Bahrain with 46 per 100.
The US has 44.6 doses per 100 people, Britain has 52.4 and Malta is Europe's second best at 37.
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Sadly much of Europe will likely be given amber status, with vaccination rollouts a disaster in many countries.
France has vaccinated just 16 people per 100 citizens, while Spain and Italy are at 16.5 and Greece 15.6.
The traffic lights scheme isn't the only announcement set for Monday, with the Prime Minister also set to say whether pubs will be able to reopen on April 12 as his roadmap has said.
He will also reportedly set out how the so-called Covid "passports" might work amid serious backlash.
Ministers have been working on the certificate scheme and will meet on Monday morning to decide whether to proceed with the idea, which would let vaccinated Brits go to the pub and travel among other privileges.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said any vaccine passports allowing some people to return to freedom while others cannot would be "un-British", while Sir Graham Brady called the scheme "divisive and discriminatory".
But Mr Johnson fired back, saying there's "definitely going to be a world in which international travel will use vaccine passports".
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