Filenews 4 May 2021
Cyprus will enter the second category in terms of classification for leisure travel for Britons announced by their government.
Within the week, probably on Friday, the British government is expected to announce which category each British tourist destination will fall into when international leisure travel is allowed, most likely on 17 May.
As announced, there will be three categories of countries, green, orange and red. Those travelling from the "green" countries to Britain will need to undergo two diagnostic tests, one before departure and one after arrival. Arrivals from the "orange" countries will be provided for three tests and ten days of isolation at home and for those travelling from "red" countries also three tests and a ten-day quarantine, but in a default hotel.
Today's British press reports that very few countries will be in the green category from 17 May. Gibraltar, Israel and Malta are certainly considered green countries, as they meet the criteria of the advanced programme of vaccinations against coronavirus and the few cases.
Other countries considered to be on the green list are Portugal, Iceland, the US, Australia, New Zealand, Morocco, the Seychelles and Caribbean island states.
Cyprus, according to most analysts and tour operators who gave their estimate, is expected to be on the orange list.
However, the Daily Telegraph reports that some "orange" countries will be promoted to the green list in June, as the data will probably be reviewed every three weeks. However, in the indicative example of "orange" countries that will become "green" the newspaper names only Spain, Greece and France.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said there would indeed be "some opening" on 17 May, as set out in his removal roadmap, but warned that moves must be careful not to "influx the disease" from other countries into the UK.
On Tuesday morning, International Trade Secretary Liz Truss said in the same tone that "the really important thing is not to go too fast and risk the progress we have made." He urged Britons to wait until the announcements before booking a holiday abroad.
But the usually cautious Professor Neil Ferguson of Imperial College London, one of the UK government's scientific advisers, said he was optimistic that things would be "much more normal" this summer.
As he said, the risk from travel lies in travelling to and from countries with much greater dispersion of the coronavirus than in the UK.
He also said the risk of a serious third wave of the pandemic in Britain is decreasing, although he warned that vaccine-resistant variants of the coronavirus are a "major concern" and could cause a large third wave in the autumn. For this reason, he added, it is necessary to give the population a third supporting dose of vaccines that can treat dangerous variants.
On Monday it was announced that a total of more than £50m has now been allocated to the UK. doses of coronavirus vaccines - 34.6 cm first doses and 15.5 second doses.
Yesterday 1,649 new cases were also reported (reduced by about a thousand compared to the previous Monday) and just one death from coronavirus (instead of the previous Monday's 17). On a rolling seven-day basis cases have fallen by 7.8% and deaths by 35.2%.
Covid's hospitalized bodies have been noted as 1,451, of which intubated are 185.
Eyenews/AFP
