Has the red list been scrapped and will travel ban return?

THE government has removed the remaining seven countries from the travel red list.

Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Haiti, Panama, Peru and Venezuela will all be taken off the list on Monday.

The move would mean that travellers would not be required to hotel quarantine when returning to England from any destination around the world.

However, the government has made it clear that the red list has not been abolished.

A Downing Street spokesman said today that Britain has no plans to scrap the red list rules, which require arrivals from certain countries to quarantine in a hotel.

And Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the red list would stay as a category "as a precaution".

That means that countries could turn red again if a surge in Covid cases arises or a dangerous new variant presents itself.

The move by the government to leave the red list empty will give a boost to Brits hoping for a holiday abroad this winter or next summer.

Scenes of chaos at airports across the world over the past 18 months, as countries found themselves added to red and amber lists with no notice, leaving Brits scrambling to get home, have put many families off booking a foreign trip.

But the government has introduced a number of changes to the travel system in recent weeks, including dropping all PCR tests for vaccinated travellers.

It is hoped Brits will enjoy 'test free' holidays next summer with no traffic light restrictions, the Transport Secretary said.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the vaccine is "the answer", adding: "The vaccine is the thing that's enabled us to make these big changes on international travel as well."

He told Times Radio: "Having gone through this two years in a row, two summers in a row and, like many other people, experienced the shortcomings of a system that was able to change so quickly, I really do hope that this is the world going back to normal."

For most of 2021, arrivals from red list countries have had to quarantine in a hotel for 10 days.

Currently, the quarantine hotel package costs £2,285 per person and includes the required Covid tests.

The price for a second adult sharing the hotel room costs £1,430, while kids aged 5-11 cost £325 each.

Children under 5 can stay for free.

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