HOLIDAYS to the US are unlikely to return before September, the country's medical advisor and Covid expert has warned.
Dr Antony Fauci said that while travel between the UK and US could restart soon, he couldn't predict that this would be soon.
Families hoping to head to Disney World this summer, after being unable to do so last year, are likely to face disappointment.
When asked if this could be expected by September, he told ITV news that was a "reasonably good prediction".
However, he added: "You really can't tell because things happen, variants occur, things happen with regards to infection."
Dr Fauci also said that the UK would be in a "very favourable" position by the end of the summer following the delay of the June 21 Freedom Day.
He said: "I think once [the UK] get more and more people vaccinated and get the people who've gotten a single dose to make sure they get their second dose, I think the UK is going to be in a very favourable position by the time we get to the end of the summer."
Brits shouldn't "write off" hopes of foreign summer holidays with plans afoot to reopen travel to the double-jabbed, a minister declared today.
Treasury minister Jesse Norman confirmed the Government is looking at ways of allowing fully vaccinated people to go abroad again this year.
Asked about the possibility of allowing double-jabbed Brits to travel again, Mr Norman said: "This is one of those things that's being considered.
"The Government is keeping all of these fast moving developments under a fairly close scrutiny as you might imagine.
"We don't want to get left behind by countries which may be adopting a two jabs approach if it can be done safely, carefully and securely."
Asked if Brits can start dreaming of a summer trip again, he added: "I wouldn't write anything off at this point."
The UK has been pushing for a travel corridor with the US, with the country's borders remaining closed to Britain since March 2020.
The US is also still on the UK's amber list, which requires a 10-day quarantine when returning to the UK.
Before the outbreak of coronavirus, the UK-US air corridor was one of the busiest in the world.
More than five million people from the UK visited the US every year, with 4.5 million trips made in the reverse direction.
Airlines including Virgin Atlantic and British Airways have been pushing for a travel corridor between the UK and the US, citing the strong vaccine rollout in both countries.
Just a handful of countries are currently on the green list – with just Israel, Gibraltar and Iceland potential holiday hotspots.
Most of Europe is on the amber list, including Portugal which was added earlier this month.
Travel expert Paul Charles, founder of PC Agency, warned that holidays to both Europe and the US may not return until at least August as the UK could wait until the vaccine rollout hits 18-year-olds first.
Yet countries are already welcoming Brits back – fully vaccinated Brits can enter France with just an antigen test while Spain has lifted all entry restrictions.
Source: Read Full Article
