STAY AT HOME
‘Don’t take travel advice from me’, says Transport sec – as he warns Brits against booking summer holidays yet
BRITS should think twice about booking their summer holidays abroad as the world is still in the grips of the deadly pandemic, Grant Shapps warned this morning.
The Transport Secretary poured cold water on the idea of securing a summer break for later this year - after holiday firms reported a bounce in reservations as the vaccine is rolled out across the country.
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But he warned off Brits taking his advice, saying: “I’m the last person you should take this advice from... don’t take travel advice from me.”
The over-50s are leading the charge for going on holiday, travel companies are reporting, with many having got their first jab or are set to in the coming weeks.
The Government has promised to vaccinate all over 50s by the spring - though they haven't put a specific date on it yet.
All over 80s, NHS and social care staff will be jabbed by the middle of February under current predictions - with up to 3million vaccinations a day predicted by March.
Mr Shapps told LBC today he was the last person they should take advice from after he flew to Spain last year with his family only to slam the country on the quarantine list and head straight home again.
And while the nation was in the middle of the worst part of the pandemic, he expressed caution at booking another getaway.
He was asked this morning: "Would you advise my listeners they should book a summer holiday?"
And he replied: "I think we have to recognise at this moment in time, that we are still in the grip of this pandemic.
"Suffering hospitals full to the brim, I think its 36,000 in hospital, with high numbers of deaths.
"Right now, let’s make sure we are staying at home and let’s make sure that we are doing the right thing."
When pressed on it again, he added: "All I am telling you is, I had this question last year, I said at the time, I wasn’t at that time.
"We then had the travel corridors in place. I booked my holiday, I went to Spain.
"Then the first thing I did within an hour of getting there is put Spain on the travel corridor list. Don’t take advice from me!"
The UK recorded another 1,248 deaths from Covid yesterday - and 48,000 positive cases.
From Monday anyone coming into the UK will have to present a negative test upon arrival - to try and cut down on the number of people entering the country with the virus.
TEST ON ARRIVAL
This is on top of people having to quarantine for 10 days when they arrive from somewhere which is not on the travel corridor list.
But Mr Shapps admitted today it was not a foolproof method as people would still be carrying the bug - which is why they still have to quarantine.
He said this morning: “Less than 1/10th of 1 per cent of all infections were people who travelled.
“In many cases they may have been in countries with lower coronavirus cases than we’ve had here.
"We’re an island, we have to have links to the outside world, we can’t bring in food, medicine and people need to move around so that essential supplies can be supplied.
“We have to have connectivity.
“It hasn’t stopped the US being amongst the worst coronavirus outbreaks.
“Travel is only one part of the overall picture and quarantine is 100 per cent because it isn’t passing it on to someone else.”
TRAVEL BAN
Last night ministers slapped a travel ban on people coming into the UK from Portugal and all of South America in an attempt to stop the spread of the new Brazil Covid variant.
It's similar to the South African and Kent variants in that it is more transmissable too.
Direct flights will be banned from those locations, and anyone coming in after that time will be ordered to quarantine along with their entire household - and won't be able to take a test after five days to be released.
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Matt Hancock has said previously he's secured a Cornwall cottage for next summer in the hope he can get away on a break with his family.
Ministers hope the the vaccine rollout will enable the country to get back to normal by the Spring.
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But the entire nation won't get vaccinated until the autumn under the Government's plan.
Here is everything you need to know about going on holiday this summer.
Can I still go on holiday this summer? Your coronavirus travel questions answered by Sun Travel editor Lisa Minot