You might be allowed to go on vacation this month – what you need to know UK News

British holidaymakers might have the option of visiting a handful of European hotspots from this month.

The European Commission has proposed easing restrictions on travel to countries in the bloc amid Covid-19 vaccination campaigns and falling infection rates.

And the UK government’s ‘green list’ of countries to which people can travel without having to self-isolate for 14 days upon return is expected to be released this week, although it is understood that details are still being finalized. .

Boris Johnson has said some overseas travel from the UK could take place from mid-May.

The prime minister said there would be “some openness” on May 17 when the next leg of his roadmap takes effect – but the approach to international travel in the summer must be cautious to avoid “a influx of disease ”.

During a campaign visit to Hartlepool, Mr Johnson told reporters: ‘We want to do some opening on May 17, but I don’t think the people of this country want to see an influx of disease from everywhere else.

“Certainly not and we have to be very, very tough, and we have to be as careful as possible, while still opening up.

When asked if people should plan a vacation abroad, he added, “We will say more as soon as possible.

“I think there will be openings on the 17th, but we have to be careful and we have to be sane and we have to make sure that we don’t see the virus coming back.”

‘Chop and change’

Some MPs have called for restrictions on international holidays to continue protecting the UK from variants of Covid, with Labor leader Sir Keir Starmer calling for a ‘cautious’ approach.

Sir Keir criticized the ‘slicing and changing’ of the travel lane list introduced last year and said such a situation should be avoided during the holiday season.

Speaking on an election visit to Lewisham on Monday, the opposition leader said he will “wait and see” what the government is announcing.

He told reporters: “We have to be very careful. I think it’s clear that the virus is increasing in some countries around the world, so we have to be very, very careful, ”he told reporters.

“What we can’t have is a repeat of last summer, where the lists were hashed and changed daily or even weekly.”

In the meantime, the European Commission said it was proposing “to allow entry into the EU for non-essential reasons not only for all people coming from countries where the epidemiological situation is good, but also for all people who have received the last recommended dose of an EU-approved vaccine. “.

It was not said which countries would be on its list, but an anonymous EU official said the UK remained a ‘question mark’.

“ Great progress is being made ”

A boss of a travel company said there had been “great strides” in countries like Portugal and Spain in preparing for the return of vacationers.

Thomas Cook Managing Director Alan French told BBC Radio 4’s Today program: “When the holidays begin at the end of June, we expect most of the countries in which the UK will be Uni is going on vacation – in Europe in particular – to be open.

“We expect Portugal, Spain, Greece, Croatia and so on to be open, it would be nice if Turkey was open.

“When you look at what’s going on in these countries, both in terms of infection rates and how they’re preparing for vacationers, I think great strides are being made.”

The all-party parliamentary group (APPG) on the coronavirus has claimed that importing new variants could “result in further lockdowns and inevitably further loss of life.”

The multi-stakeholder group described airport arrival halls as “a breeding ground for infection”.

He recommended that passengers returning from green, orange and red countries under the new risk-based traffic light system do not mix.

Passengers’ documents should be checked before entering an arrival hall, if possible, so that those being transported to quarantine facilities are moved “quickly,” the group added.

He also called for “adequate financial support” for travel agencies and the cancellation of the reduction in funding for international research projects contributing to the fight against the virus.

Holidays can resume ‘safely’ with widespread testing

Lucy Moreton, a professional officer for the Union of Immigration Services, which represents immigration and customs staff at borders, said in a hearing held by the group last month that around 100 people were trying entering the UK every day with ‘fake’ certificates showing recent negative coronavirus tests. .

Paul Charles, managing director of travel consultancy The PC Agency, said that “the best financial support the government can now offer to the travel industry is to open up overseas travel as planned from May 17th. “, …