Covid: Government considering allowing double vaccinated people to holiday abroad this summer

Having had both jabs of Covid vaccination could be the key to holidaying overseas this summer.

The government say they are considering proposals that could allow people who have had both jabs to avoid quarantine on their return from amber list countries - but testing will still be required.

Asked whether the policy would be introduced, Financial Secretary to the Treasury Jesse Norman said the government is "thinking about all aspects of this" adding it was a "very dynamic evolving situation."

• ITV News Political Correspondent Libby Wiener with the latest on holiday travel

Mr Norman told ITV News: "The travel industry is desperate to be able to continue to move forward...so the government’s balancing a whole bunch of different things but obviously we’re hopeful in due course we will be able to return to normality."

He added the final decision would be “taken on the basis of a lot of advice” but said "it is noticeable that other parts of the world are taking an approach that, if not that approach, is quite similar.

"We need to be sure that we are not out of step too far with them because they may know some stuff that we don’t know. 

"On the other hand, we also have to be quite aware that the public health issue isn’t just about our country, it’s about the one in other countries where people may be visiting as well."

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If brought in, the measures, originally reported by the Telegraph, would effectively make amber list countries green for those who have had both jabs - extending quarantine-free travel drastically.

Spain, Portugal, France and Italy are all currently on the UK’s amber list meaning travel is allowed only in "extreme circumstances" and travellers face a 10 day quarantine upon return.

Downing Street said that the Government wanted people to travel abroad “as soon as it is safe to do so” but stressed that no decisions had been made about opening up holidays for those who had received both vaccine doses.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman told a Westminster briefing: “As we have always set out, we want people to be able to travel abroad as soon as it is safe to do so.

“Currently we have set out a traffic light system for international travel. We are always learning more about the virus and its variants.

“At this stage in the pandemic, our current approach is the right one, but we keep our measures under review, and that was set out clearly in both the road map and the Global Travel Taskforce report.

“On the point about double vaccinations, absolutely no decisions have been made on that.”

The next review of the UK’s travel list of countries is due at the end of this month, according to Downing Street.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman told reporters: “There is a three-week review point, so the next check point is coming up at the end of this month.”

The spokesman added that he believed this would be no later than June 28.

It comes as pressure mounts on ministers to allow travel abroad once more.

Airline Ryanair along with the owner of Manchester, Stansted and East Midlands airports, are reportedly preparing to take legal action against the government over its international travel traffic light system.

The legal action to be brought by Ryanair and the Manchester Airport Group will call for more transparency over how Whitehall decides which countries qualify for the green list, the BBC said.

Ryanair boss: 'All this green, amber, red is just a red herring'

Michael O'Leary, chief executive at Ryanair, told ITV News earlier this month - before Portugal was moved to the amber list - that the traffic light system was "a red herring" and "confusing".

"The reality is, the vast majority of the UK population is now vaccinated.

"The problem with these traffic lights is they don't work - people are either vaccinated or their not."

"It's bonkers."

Labour Party Chair Anneliese Dodds said the government should "scrap that amber list" adding "it’s just causing confusion."

She told ITV News: "We think in the long term that the Conservative government need to work with other countries so we have a proper International system around vaccine certification. 

"They’ve got to get a grip on this and stop sowing even more confusion at a time when we need certainty to stop this disease."

Stay up to date with the changing travel situation in the UK and abroad with news, information and advice at itv.com/holidaynews