Travel news: Traffic light system to end in October, sources say

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The UK’s ‘traffic light’ travel system could be phased out from next month, according to industry figures.

A source “aware of the proposal” said The telegraph yesterday: “It’s a question of whether you are vaccinated or not, rather than which country you are going to.

“What this means is that the green and amber are fading and only vaccination status will count for where you travel. For a person vaccinated, just like today, all countries in the except red are “green”.

“For an unvaccinated person, that means your trip to a green country may be slightly more difficult.

“There is psychological potential in that a lot of people think traveling to amber is risky whereas if it goes away, people might be more willing to travel to X, Y or Z.

“It could also encourage people to get vaccinated. There has been a slowdown in the vaccination rate, especially among younger people and this is a way to encourage participation.

In addition, Ryanair is launching six new routes from Birmingham airport, including Lisbon and Vilnius, in Lithuania newly added to the green list.

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Government accused of “killing the aviation industry”

A senior Labor MP accused the government of “killing the aviation industry”.

Ben Bradshaw, former minister and current member of the Select Committee on Transport, tweeted: “Johnson’s outdated and expensive travel rules are killing an industry.

“With the holiday ending this month, he must remove his absurd traffic lights and embrace the risk-based approach of Germany and others.”

Right now, the UK has the highest coronavirus infection rates of any major European country and the tightest travel restrictions.

The next “redesign of traffic lights” of the red, orange and green lists is scheduled for next Wednesday or Thursday. A full review of travel restrictions is expected by October 1.

Simon calderSeptember 9, 2021 8:57 AM

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New system: “It is essential that we remain vigilant to prevent new variants,” says immunologist

A leading immunologist has commented on reports the government is replacing the current system of traffic light travel with something based on vaccination status.

“On the one hand, this could be a positive step forward for anyone traveling abroad or visiting the UK. On the other hand, it is also essential that we remain vigilant to prevent the entry of new variants into the UK, ”said Professor Denis Kinane, immunologist and founder of test provider and diagnostic company Cignpost.

“In the spring, when the Delta variant entered the country, Cignpost saw a huge increase in positive results from those traveling to the UK from the Indian subcontinent – although they tested negative with a blood test. lateral flow before boarding. Testing and border crossings then allowed the delta variant to thrive quickly, ”he added.

He also called for the ‘second day’ PCR test currently required for returning UK travelers to be changed, calling it ‘confusing’ and saying the results often come too late to be useful in tracking the virus.

“The solution we recommend is to replace the confusing ‘second day test’ with an ‘arrival day’ test so that we can identify infections much more quickly – and thus go faster if one does. new variant enters the country. It would also mean that we could identify any potential new variants much faster – and take action to prevent it from spreading in the community, ”Kinane said.

Lucy thackraySeptember 9, 2021 8:55 AM

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Ask Simon Calder your travel questions

Since the last travel update on August 26, there have been indications that international travel is starting to open up again, albeit cautiously.

American travelers have taken a step back, however, as the EU has moved the country to its ‘dangerous’ list due to the high number of Covid cases – prompting countries like Italy, Denmark and Sweden to increase their restrictions on testing and quarantine for travelers from the states.

So, should you ignore the risk and book your next vacation? To rejoin The independentSimon Calder’s travel correspondent tomorrow, September 10 at 1 p.m., when he’s on hand to answer your travel questions on all the latest rules and restrictions.

Post your questions in the comments section here, then follow the event live tomorrow:

Lucy thackraySeptember 9, 2021 8:17 AM

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Hello

Hello and welcome to The independentThe Travel Live Blog, where we’ll share all the latest updates.

Lucy thackraySeptember 9, 2021 8:06 AM


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