Filenews 30 June 2021
It is difficult to see light in the tunnel soon, in terms of lifting the 10-day quarantine, for British travellers returning from orange countries. According to statements by UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps in the House of Commons, abolishing 10 days of home isolation for Britons returning from countries on the orange travel list is a "complex" measure that "takes time."
The UK government's orange list includes the vast majority of popular European, American and Asian destinations for British tourists. The Government has announced that it intends to lift the quarantine obligation for fully vaccinated UK residents returning from these countries. As to the time horizon for doing so, however, he has simply indicated that it will be done 'later in the summer', without any clearer indication.
Asked in the House of Commons to provide assurances that the quarantine obligation would be abolished in time to allow Families from Britain to travel with their children when schools close at the end of July, Mr Shapps again avoided giving a timetable, saying there were "issues to be resolved."
In an emergency opposition debate, the Transport Secretary said: "It is a complicated policy that takes time to formulate. Initially, the Single Committee on Vaccines and Immunisation has not yet delivered an opinion on whether children should be part of the vaccination programme. At the moment it is not and we must therefore work out what will apply to children under a programme that allows people to travel."
The British Minister added that he is also considering what will apply to those who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons, around half a million citizens. As he explained, we must ensure that these citizens are not left wronged.
However, during the debate MPs from even the ruling Conservative Party warned that another completely lost summer would have huge economic consequences for the travel sector.
Source: Eyenews/CYP
