The Sun is reporting that the Government is due to announced a change in travel quarantine rules that will mean fully vaccinated Britons won’t have to self-isolate when returning from “Amber List” countries from July 19th, widening the divide between those who have had both vaccine doses and those who have not (and will not).
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps will unveil the rules change on Thursday.
It means hassle-free holidays to Spain, France and Greece will be back on for millions, all of which are on the Amber List.
A source told the MailOnline: “Border Force do have to make some technical changes and they had asked for a bit longer to get the new systems in place. But they can see the writing on the wall on this and they have accepted it will be the 19th.”
But travellers must take a test before they come back to Britain and another gold standard PCR test on the second day of return.
It is understood those who cannot be jabbed will also be exempt from quarantine – children travelling with double-jabbed parents would swerve the 10-day isolation with extra testing.
Ministers had been warned that delaying the boost for vaccinated holidaymakers would be a body blow to the summer travel season.
Holidays expert Paul Charles said: “It would be pointless introducing it in mid-August as the summer travel season will have been lost almost entirely – along with tens of thousands of jobs.”
Many European countries are also only allowing in Brits who have had both jabs.
Both Portugal and Malta are only welcoming fully-vaccinated Brits, along with France while Spain now requires a negative test, or proof of both jabs, from all U.K. arrivals.
Brits heading to Cyprus will need to have two Covid tests unless they are fully vaccinated from tomorrow.
However, Germany has recently lifted restrictions for Brits who are fully vaccinated, after initially closing their borders to the U.K. due to the Delta variant.
While just the Balearic Islands, Malta and Madeira are on the “Green List” [as well as the “Green Watchlist”, meaning they are “at risk” of being demoted at any time] as holiday hotspots, it is hoped that more destinations could also be added.
All passengers – vaccinated or not – will have to continue wearing face masks on a number of major airlines after ‘Freedom Day’.
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