When travel returns on 17 May, the English government will use a traffic light system for categorising countries based on their risk levels.
Red countries will be an extension of the travel ban list as we’ve come to know it.
Meanwhile, those coming from the lowest-risk green countries will not need to quarantine for 10 days.
Some airline industry executives have highlighted that a two-test approach to the lowest-risk countries will price some families out of travelling abroad.
One of the largest test manufacturers Randox, which is based in Northern Ireland, announced that it was lowering the cost of its PCR COVID-19 tests for travel from £120 apiece to £60 apiece.
There are still plenty of details to work out regarding vaccine passports and whether or not travellers will have to show proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 status.
Friday’s announcement met expectations that the green list is limited in numbers at launch, though the government said it’s going to be reviewing its list often.
It’s widely believed some summer holiday hotspots such as Greece, France and Italy could soon be given green status in the coming weeks.
government, that would mean travellers would have to think about and plan for a quarantine on return home.
If, for example, where you’re holidaying suddenly changes from amber to red, you’ll have to worry not only about quarantining for 10 days, but paying at least £1,750 in order to do so in a government-approved hotel.
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