MPs mull the end of hotel quarantine as battered travel firms yearn for recovery
MPs are mulling the end of hotel quarantine and wiping remaining countries from the red travel list, according to reports.
The red list has been drastically cut down earlier this month, ahead of the October half-term, with just seven Latin American countries remaining.
Though ministers could reportedly scrap the red travel list on Thursday, which would only apply to England.
The move would bring the UK more in line with its European peers and will see Brits not having to spend 11 nights in hotel quarantine at a cost of £2,285.
Though quarantine has been a measure designed to reduce the risk of travellers bringing the virus into the country, it has been accused of scuppering the recovery process for battered travel firms.
It comes as the government allowed fully vaccinated flyers arriving in England from countries not on the UK’s red list to take a cheaper lateral flow test instead of a PCR from Sunday.
The government stipulates that lateral flow tests must be taken as soon as possible on the day of arrival in England or before the end of a passenger’s second day at the latest. They can also be found for around £22, far cheaper than PCR tests.