BRITS who have had both jabs will no longer have to isolate for ten days if they come into contact with a Covid victim from July 19, The Sun can reveal.
Currently, anyone alerted by Test and Trace that they have been near someone who has tested positive must — by law — isolate at home.
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But after a successful pilot scheme running since April, ministers are set to replace that rule for the fully vaccinated with 20-minute lateral flow tests taken each day for the same amount of time.
If you are negative, you would be free to leave the house that day — in a major boost for workplaces.
Our revelation comes as travel bosses, publicans and punters demand clarity from the Government about exactly what next month’s Freedom Day will mean.
PM Boris Johnson said this week he wants to go “back to life as it was before Covid as far as possible” on July 19.
But there are major headaches for the Government over European travel, with the EU threatening to slap Brits with quarantines because of the surging Delta variant cases. Talks with Washington about opening the US border have also stalled.
In angry Commons exchanges, MPs demanded answers from Transport Secretary Grant Shapps.
Tory grandee Liam Fox said: “We are welcome in France if we have had two jabs as they cover all the main variants — equals good sense.
"If we have had two jabs, we have to isolate on return from France to UK — equals no sense. French Uefa official comes to the UK and does not have to isolate — equals second-class citizens in our own country.”
Tory MP Huw Merriman told Mr Shapps there was a need for clarity for “industry and passengers alike.”. He said: “We have a roadmap with data and dates. For international travel, can we have the equivalent of a flight path so we know what is going to happen and when and by what measure?”
Fellow Tory MP Julian Sturdy welcomed ministers’ plans to scrap quarantine rules for amber list countries but demanded clarity on when the rules would come in. He said: “Ideally, we need it in place at the start of the summer holidays to give families the confidence to book and ensure it has the maximum impact in helping the travel sector to recover. If this is delayed for too long, the summer for the travel sector will be lost.”
And Crawley MP Henry Smith warned last night: “If we don’t have a meaningful summer of transatlantic operations, it’s expected to cost the UK economy £2.5billion and up to 52,000 jobs lost.”
Last night, their demands were backed by travel industry leaders worried many Brits will end up on staycations in resorts like Blackpool unless there is more certainty.
Tim Alderslade, CEO of Airlines UK, which represents BA, Virgin and Easyjet, told The Sun: “It’s madness to waste our vaccine dividend in the way we are. More than 60 per cent of the population have now been fully jabbed and we should be allowing them to travel without restrictions.
“Instead, all we have is a vague commitment to do so ‘later in the summer’, which, frankly, will be too late to save the summer season. We need to get on with it.”
Travel expert Paul Charles, of the PC Agency said: “The vaccines are clearly working, so Sajid Javid has an opportunity to make this summer better than last summer, in terms of letting people travel. There’s no reason not to open up more overseas travel to other countries and remove onerous testing required on returning to the UK.
“The US and UK have such a special relationship that they should be opening up in July, enabling people to see family and friends they haven’t seen for over a year.” And an ABTA spokesman said: “With the successful vaccine roll-out both here and across the pond, the Government should be making progress on opening up travel between our two nations.”
The pub and hospitality industries also demanded better clarity and action from Government yesterday. Kate Nicholls, of UK Hospitality said: "Hospitality is desperate for a full lifting of all restrictions on July 19 and we need early clarity and certainty that will be the case. This is not just about social distancing. Scrapping the rule of six, table ordering, bans on standing at the bar, music and capacity caps are all vital to secure the survival of our pubs and restaurants.
“At best, our businesses are losing money hand over fist every day those restrictions remain in place. At worst, they cannot trade at all. We cannot continue to operate with one hand tied behind our back, constrained by rules meaning pubs and restaurants remain in a fragile state and can’t make enough cash to survive long-term.”
Emma McClarkin, CEO of the British Beer & Pub Association, said: “We have all played our part in the fight against Covid. Now it is time to get on with it and return our lives to normal, with our freedom protected by the vaccine. Restrictions from seated-only drinking, no bar service and social distancing are ruining our pub experience.”
Meanwhile, the Balearics were gearing up for the arrival of the first “green-flight” Brits yesterday. Changes by the Spanish government to entry requirements for UK holidaymakers did not appear to have dampened the optimism among expat bar workers on the islands.
By the weekend, Brits jetting to Majorca, Ibiza and Menorca will have to be double-jabbed or produce a negative PCR Gold Standard test. But Tommy Goodwin, 35, of Stockport, manager of Mr Miyagi’s and Tiger Tiger bars in Magaluf, said: “The Balearics going on the UK’s green light list is definitely going to have a positive effect on business.”
- Additional reporting: Natasha Clark
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