UK warns that all holidays can be canceled before 2021

by

(CNN) – Booking a summer vacation on Wednesday became an even bigger gamble for millions of Britons, as the government warned that even places to stay could be under threat until vaccinations are completed.

After officials previously indicated that a trip abroad may not be possible in 2021, UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps says even a break at home may now be out of the question.

The news came after Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced that arrivals in the UK who lie about visiting a destination on Covid’s “red list” will face up to 10 years in prison or a fine of £ 10,000 ($ 13,800).

“Until we know the route out of lockdown, which we will not know until we have more data, including more information on vaccines, please do not continue booking holidays,” Shapps said in a BBC interview early Wednesday.

He went on to say it was too early to paint a clear picture of the restrictions that would be in place during the summer, advising travelers to sit tight and “do nothing” until things are clearer.

The warning will be a disappointment to many British holidaymakers, who had hoped the rapid rollout of the coronavirus vaccine would pave the way for holidays abroad later this year.

However, Shapps has stressed that the UK, which has administered more than 13 million Covid-19 jabs, will have to wait for other destinations to “catch up”.

Heavy punishments

From February 15, residents of the UK and Ireland arriving from countries on the UK’s ‘red list’, including South Africa, Portugal, the UAE and most of South America, will have to purchase a ‘quarantine package’ for £ 1,750 ($ 2,400) that includes accommodation in a government-approved hotel, transport to the accommodation, and Covid-19 testing.

All other travelers who have visited these countries 10 days prior to their trip to the UK, which is currently under a third national lockdown, will not be allowed to enter

Those who fail to meet quarantine requirements or try to disguise the fact that they visited a high-risk country before arriving could face a 10-year prison sentence or a fine.

“I do not apologize for the strength of these measures as we are facing one of the greatest threats to our public health that we have faced as a nation,” Hancock told MPs in the House of the British Parliament.

Passengers arriving from destinations not on the “red list” must submit a negative test within 72 hours of departure.

In addition, they must also isolate for 10 days and undergo a Covid-19 test on the second and eighth days after arrival.

The “test to release schedule”, which allows travelers to exit isolation if they are tested negative on the five days of quarantine, is still in effect for those arriving from destinations not on the “red list”. ” stand.

Anyone planning to arrive in the UK from Monday onwards will need to book the new post-arrival tests through an online portal before traveling.

.Source