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Hotel quarantine could soon be scrapped and replaced with self-isolation at home for red list arrivals as soon as today, according to reports.
Government ministers are expected to approve the end of managed quarantine today with passengers from the 11 southern African countries on the list instead required to spend their 10 days of isolation at home. The Telegraph has previously reported that this plan was under review.
There is a wish to avoid having any travellers in a quarantine hotel on Christmas Day, according to The Times.
Meanwhile, winter holidays could soon become less complex and costly as Health Secretary Sajid Javid has said that the spread of omicron in the UK has “minimised” the justification for the more stringent rules that were introduced over the past fortnight.
Ben Bradshaw, a member of the Transport Select Committee, pointed out on Monday that Mr Javid had previously agreed that “once omicron became widespread here, the very draconian, costly and complex travel rules that he introduced two weeks ago to stop omicron coming would be pointless” and asked why they were still in place.
Mr Javid said: “It’s something that I’ve already raised with my colleagues in the Department for Transport and I do hope that we can act quickly.”
Scroll down for the latest travel updates.
How cruise holidays beat the pandemic
A tide of pent-up demand from die-hard fans and interest from new-to-cruisers after a summer of domestic sailings has prompted a sales boom, writes Sara Macefield.
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David C Tomlinson/The Image Bank Unreleased
Reports of cruise sales bouncing back faster than expected abound, with some companies reporting record bookings that have spurred them to bring forward their cruise programmes for 2023 and 2024. The luxury line Regent Seven Seas Cruises released its 2024 world cruise in July, an epic 132-night extravaganza covering more than 34,000 nautical miles, and it sold out in a heart-stopping 2.5 hours. This is a voyage where prices started, yes started, at an eye-popping £54,949 per person – rising to £144,699 for the top suite.
France mulls tightening entry criteria from Britain due to omicron surge in the UK
France is considering tightening restrictions for people entering the country from Britain, where the omicron Covid-19 variant is spreading rapidly, French government spokesman Gabriel Attal said today.
“Regarding Britain, the current rule is to show a negative test less than 48 hours old in order to enter France,” Attal told France Info Radio this morning.
“But we are always looking at means to tighten the framework, we are currently working on that and we should, I think, come to a conclusion in the coming days”, he added.
Mr Attal said France, currently engulfed in a fifth wave of Covid fuelled mainly by the delta variant, currently has 133 confirmed cases of the omicron variant.
Quarantine hell: ‘We’re surviving off tepid wine and Waitrose deliveries’
One British couple detail their dismal 11-day sentence at a Holiday Inn after returning from red-listed South Africa.
Annabel Fenwick Elliott spoke to them about their ordeal:
“We are not guests, we are inmates,” Mr Jones tells Telegraph Travel. “It’s not a hotel, it’s a guarded compound – and there’s no minibar. It would be entirely unacceptable accommodation for anyone, unless you happened to be on a very tight budget, or lived on the streets.” And all at a cost £3,715 for their stay.
The couple’s daughter has, at least, delivered several emergency cases of Sauvignon blanc, which they chill against the window in lieu of a refrigerator, and some silverware, to replace the supplied plastic knives and forks “that snap off in the congealed food”.
Which countries are on the red list?
Here’s a reminder of the 11 destinations:
- South Africa
- Botswana
- Namibia
- Zimbabwe
- Eswatini (formerly Swaziland)
- Lesotho
- Angola
- Mozambique
- Malawi
- Zambia
- Nigeria
Arrivals who have visited the 11 nations in the previous 10 days must stay in a quarantine hotel for 10 days, at a cost of up to £2,285, including two Covid tests. The rate for one additional adult, or a child aged 12 or over, is £1,430; while children aged between 5–11 are £325 each. Those in financial hardship have been able to avoid the large fee.
California reintroduces mask mandate for indoor public spaces
Authorities in California said Monday they were reinstating mask mandates in all indoor public spaces to try to curb the resurgence of Covid-19 in recent weeks.
The mask mandate, which will come into force Wednesday, applies to all individuals, whether vaccinated or not.
Los Angeles, San Francisco and other counties in California reintroduced the mask-wearing rule locally several months ago.
But other counties, such as Orange and San Diego, which are very heavily populated, had stuck with state-wide rules that masks only needed to be worn in certain public spaces such as airports, hospitals or schools but not in shops, restaurants or cinemas.
California’s Health Secretary Mark Ghaly said the rapid rise in Covid-19 cases had prompted the new rule.
British Airways to launch Portland flights
The airline is to launch a route to the US West Coast city in summer 2022.
It will run flights from London Heathrow to Portland from June 22, five times a week.
The carrier will also restart its service from Heathrow to Pittsburgh on June 3.
eil Chernoff, BA’s director of networks and alliances, said: “Our new route to Portland opens up a whole variety of connections for our customers. Through Alaska Airlines, our oneworld partner, British Airways will offer codeshare connections to several destinations operated by Alaska Airlines from Portland.”
Western Australia to reopen to some foreign visitors in February
The Australian state will open up to certain groups of international visitors on February 5, 2022.
Credit:
Getty
When borders reopen, these groups will be able to visit Western Australia quarantine-free:
- double-vaccinated immediate family members of adult Australian citizens and permanent residents
- double-vaccinated working holidaymakers
All visitors to the state will be required to receive a negative PCR test result within 72 hours before departure, within 48 hours of arrival and on day six.
Amazon launches £34.99 Covid test packages for travellers
Amazon is now selling low-cost PCR test kits for international travellers.
The online retailer’s test kits will be valid for the UK’s day 2 test requirement, as well as the day 8 and ‘test-to-release’ programmes.
Amazon’s home-testing kits come with a pre-paid return label so that customers can send swabs back to the company’s laboratory in Manchester.
“Customers will receive test results within 24 hours of their sample arriving at the laboratory,” said Amazon in a blog post.
NHS Covid Pass for travel extended to 12-15-year-olds
Children in England aged 12-15 now have access to the NHS Covid Pass for travel, if they’ve had both doses of a Covid-19 vaccine.
This will allow children who have received both jabs to travel to countries such as Canada and Spain, which now require travellers of this age to be fully vaccinated to gain entry, avoid isolation or to access venues.
Proof of vaccination will initially be provided via a letter service including an internationally recognised 2D barcode, with a digital solution via NHS.uk to be rolled out early next year, according to the Government.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid said: ”From today, I can confirm the NHS COVID Pass is being rolled out to 12-15 year olds for international travel, allowing even more people to be able to prove their vaccine status for travel where it’s needed.”