HOLS ON!
Boost for half-term hols as ALL Covid tests scrapped and double-jabbed kids to get travel passes
ALL Covid tests for vaccinated holidaymakers have been scrapped, the Transport Secretary has confirmed.
Grant Shapps said that arrivals will only need to fill in a Passenger Locator Form when entering the UK, as long as they have had both jabs.
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The new rules are in place from 4am on February 11.
He said: "From 4am on February 11, and in time for the half-term break, eligible, fully vaccinated passengers arriving in the UK will no longer have to take a post-arrival lateral flow test.
"That means after months of pre-departure testing, post-arrival testing, self-isolation and additional expense, all that fully vaccinaated people will have to do when they travel to the UK is to verify their status via Passenger Locator Form.
"We are therefore scrapping all travel tests for vaccinated people, not only making travel much easier, but also saving about £100 per family on visits abroad."
The Transport Secretary has been spearheading the drive to ditch all tests for people coming into the UK as part of a bid to finally return to normal travel.
It will save families much-needed cash knowing they don't need to fork out on lateral flow tests when they come back.
Unvaccinated Brits will have to take pre-departure tests and a post-arrival PCR test, but will no longer have to isolate or take another test on day eight.
In a double-boost for half-term holidays, 12- to-15-year-olds will be able to download the digital proof of vaccination, Shapps confirmed.
It comes after families complained they were being forced to cancel their holidays because of restrictive" Covid-19 passport rules for kids abroad.
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As it stands, children aged 12 to 16 who have two doses of the jab cannot use the NHS app - meaning they cannot get the Covid-19 pass for travel digitally.
Parents instead have to call up the NHS 119 helpline or go online to request an under-16 NHS Covid Pass letter for kids to enter countries including Spain, Italy and France without any quarantine or self-testing rules on landing.
But some under 16s are still not eligible for their second jabs due to recent infections - and there is no way to prove the first one was ever administered.
This will be in place from February 3.
It will make travelling to countries that require Covid certification easier for youngsters.
British Airways’ boss Sean Doyle praised the news, saying: "Today’s announcement provides a welcome boost to the travel industry and UK economy.
"Finally fully-vaccinated customers can start to book with confidence whether they are doing business, going on holiday or reuniting with friends and family without the additional costly and time-consuming burden of testing.
"It sends a clear message to the rest of the world that global Britain is back in business.”
The UK has already lifted a number of travel restrictions, including pre-departure tests.
The red list, while having no countries currently on it, will soon be changed to home isolation rather than the expensive hotel quarantines.
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Being "fully jabbed" will soon mean having all three - but this is not expected to be in place until later in the year.
Shapps said: "If you want to travel this year, don't leave it too late to get your booster."
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