Can you go on holiday to an amber list country? PM issues warning
Government 'can't prevent travel to amber countries' says Calder
When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they’ll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Foreign travel has been shrouded in confusion for the past day after a Government Minister stated people could travel to “amber” list countries to visit friends and family. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has now overruled these comments warning people not to go on holiday unless they have a “pressing” reason. But are you allowed to go on holiday to an amber list country or not?
Travel abroad for non-essential reasons resumed on Monday, May 17, after months of being banned.
The Government implemented a traffic light system for holidays, with 12 destinations green-listed for visitors.
The countries on the green list include Portugal, Israel, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Brunei, Iceland, Gibraltar, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands and St Helena, Tristan de Cunha, Ascension Island.
Only three of these 12 locations have been holiday locations and are currently open to British visitors without major restrictions and quarantine on return.
However, most countries around the world are either amber or red.
For amber list countries, you must take one pre-departure test, plus quarantine at home for 10 days upon return in England, Wales or Scotland.
In addition, PCR tests will be required on days two and eight of quarantine, which means the quarantine could be reduced to five days by paying for an extra test on that day.
The majority of Europe is included on the amber list, but many holiday experts are hopeful some of these countries will move to the green list after the first review at the end of the month.
If countries manage to lower their case rates and speed up their vaccinations and no variants of concern are found, they could be added to the list from June, in time for high summer.
Boris Johnson today warned people to not holiday in amber list countries after a UK minister said people could go and visit friends to those countries if they quarantined upon their return.
It is now legal to visit amber list countries, but Mr Johnson warned people against visiting these countries.
The Prime Minister said: “I think it’s very important for people to grasp what an amber list country is: it is not somewhere where you should be going on holiday, let me be very clear about that.
“And if people do go to an amber list country, they absolutely have to for some pressing family or urgent business reason, then please bear in mind that you will have to self-isolate, you’ll have to take tests and do your passenger locator form and all the rest of it.”
DON’T MISS
Flights: Jet2, easyJet, Ryanair, BA & TUI updates as travel resumes [INSIGHT]
What do I need to travel to Portugal? The 3 things you’ll need to fly [EXPLAINER]
‘It’s the summer of staycations!’ says Tory MP [ANALYSIS]
The warning from Mr Johnson came after Environment Secretary George Eustice stirred up confusion after saying people could go to those countries if they quarantined upon their return.
Mr Eustice told the BBC Radio 4 Today Programme: “We don’t want to stop travel altogether and the reason, as Matt Hancock set out, that we have the amber list is there will be reasons why people feel they need to travel, either to visit family or indeed to visit friends.”
He added: “They can travel to those countries but they then have to observe quarantine when they return and have two tests after returning.
“So people can travel to those areas, yes, but they will then have to subject themselves to the quarantine requirements on return.”
The Environment Secretary’s comments came after he was asked why more than 150 planes had left for amber destinations on Monday.
The Government has faced criticism for the “mixed” guidance regarding amber list countries.
BBC economics editor Faisal Islam tweeted: “Interesting that the PM is now saying that people shouldn’t go to amber list countries or only go in a family emergency – there’s 2000 man united supporters going to Poland for the Europa League football final next week…”
Another social media user wrote: “If the Government is advising people not to travel to countries on the amber list, why not move them onto the red list ? I don’t get it”.
One person added: “Boris Johnson gives mixed messages. He now warns Britons not to travel to amber list countries. So why did he make it legal for them to go? Since Monday, 150 flights have taken off from the UK for these destinations.”
One Twitter user commented: “One day PM tells us not to visit amber list countries yet won’t put them on the red list, we see a nurse who cared for him when he had Covid quit NHS and say many nurses felt Government “hadn’t led very effectively”, with “indecisiveness” and “so many mixed messages””.
Another person added: “We have a honeymoon booked later this year to the Maldives and don’t feel comfortable going. What are our rights if it stays on the red list or moves to amber? Quarantine isn’t an option when we return due to work. Ideally, we would like a refund rather than moving it”.
One person wrote: “This is becoming an absolute joke. For weeks we’ve been led to believe that we can holiday in amber list countries. Now the FCDO, MPs & PM are contradicting each other. As it stands, if TUI is flying to Spain in July so are we! Especially as we’re fully vaccinated”.
Conservative frontbencher Lord Bethell said travelling is “dangerous” and “not for this year”.
Speaking at Westminster, Lord Bethell told peers: “Travelling is dangerous. That is not news to us or to the people who get on those planes in the first place.
“We do ask people, particularly as we go into the summer, travelling is not for this year, please stay in this country.”
Source: Read Full Article
