Dimitris Kouimtsidis
THE UK is set to lift its quarantine restrictions from July 6, ministers have said.
Holidaymakers are expected to be allowed to travel to certain European countries, without having to undergo a two-week quarantine upon their return.
These countries are thought to be Spain, Greece, Italy, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Turkey, Finland, Germany and Norway.
The full list of travel corridors will be announced next week.
A government spokesman told the BBC that the new rules would give people ‘the opportunity for a summer holiday abroad’ while also boosting the UK economy, but stressed that these measures depended on risks staying low.
A traffic light system is set to be introduced, with countries being classed as green, amber or red, based on their coronavirus figures.
The government said ‘it wouldn’t hesitate to put on the brakes’ if the situation changes.
Travellers entering the UK will still have to hand over the address of where they’ll be staying during their visit, similar to now while the quarantine is still in place.
Face masks will also still be mandatory on board planes and ferries.
Travel industry group ABTA described the relaxation of quarantine rules as ‘encouraging’ and said the travel sector ‘eagerly’ anticipates confirmation of the list of countries, which ‘should encourage customers to book’.
This comes as both EasyJet and Ryanair announced that they will resume 50% and 40% of their flight schedules respectively from July 1, while Jet2 from July 15.
Similarly, Brittany Ferries will resume a limited number of services from June 29, connecting the UK and Ireland with Spain and France.
