UK plans certification system for those who want to travel to countries that may demand it as a condition for entry. *title edited by MNHQ at OP's request*

[Frequentflier]

In the Times. www.thetimes.co.uk/article/government-plans-covid-vaccine-passports-to-allow-foreign-holidays-3mc9vd0xk

Surely there are millions of holidays booked in 2019 that couldn’t happen in 2020 so keep being delayed, particularly package holidays. None of those people booked their holiday during the pandemic.

The Australian tourist industry has been boosted by Australians having to have holidays at home

@megletthesecond

That might encourage the spread of another strain this autumn then. Can't they just be patient and hang on for another year.

Hm, I would love to see my mum and my parents-in-law again. Going abroad is not always a beach holiday.

I know lots of people here haven't see relatives for a while but for us it is already 18-24 months as we planned to go last year Easter.

I have in September not October.

I had an amazing holiday in Sardinia in October (last few weeks of their season) at exactly the age we’re talking about (21).

But it’s not just sun holidays that are an option. City breaks, adventure stuff, sports holidays. There are a lot of options.

Well we'll see, shall we? The British government can let people out, nowhere actually has to let them in.

@ineedaholidaynow

Are foreign holidays really that important in a pandemic?

Even if I had had the vaccine I don’t think I would be rushing off to another country where the virus was still rife and few people vaccinated.

I agree. I think we all need to take things easy and steady as we come out of this lockdown and through the Summer. Many of us may be vaccinated in Summer, but lots of other countries are way behind. The entire Western World (and particularly Europe) need to come out of this slowly and more importantly, permanently this time. No country can afford to open up too quickly and end up having to lockdown yet again. For countries and industries dependent upon foreign tourists, it's up to each govt to support them as they see fit. For mediteranean countries, the EU needs to step up and provide whatever grants/loans etc they need to support them as it will cost Europe more in the long run if lockdowns need to happen again.

Have foreign holidays been made compulsory at some point and I hadn't noticed?

@Floridaflipflops

This really is fake news and it needs to stop

Exactly. MNs should stop posting misinformation

I can't access the full article, but thanks for clarifying this

How about if you've had Covid-19 and recovered from it?

The WHO are largely responsible for this pandemic for advising against border closures in March 2020

I wouldn't argue with that, even though the complications around border closures raise doubts about its effectiveness

I still wonder, though, how much of it was down to China's influence ... you know, China who were already aware of the problem but closed borders just as countless people had already travelled for New Year

[quote zafferana]Actually, if the vaccine programme keeps up its current pace all UK adults should be vaccinated by 25 June @Waxonwaxoff0. I bloody hope so. Wouldn't it be amazing to be able to go abroad this summer? There's a good graph on this page of the NYT, if you can see it?

www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/02/04/world/europe/covid-vaccine-uk-rate.html[/quote]
Impossible... Im pregnant so cant have it and not due until after June as are approx. 400,000 other women.

I would imagine Spain, Greece and Italy will do whatever it takes to encourage British holidaymakers to travel in summer.

This is just deeply unfair. Makes a 2 tier society. Outright not fair.

It’s not up to our government what other countries require to enter their countries. It seems likely that given the effects of covid that countries will require this and I’d appreciate being able to get hold of one if necessary!

@Campervan69

How about if you've had Covid-19 and recovered from it?

Considering it's possible to catch covid again, then probably not.

If all adults in this country have been offered the vaccine I don’t think it’s unreasonable that we would make it a requirement for coming in to the UK

@Greenevalley

I would imagine Spain, Greece and Italy will do whatever it takes to encourage British holidaymakers to travel in summer.

They opened up last Summer and ended up locked down again as the covid infections rocketed. Surely it's better to have a permanent slow/controlled re-opening that sustainable this time so they don't have to lockdown yet again?

@Floridaflipflops

The whole article is based on what the Greek PM has said.

The Greek PM added: “Ensuring the quickest possible re-establishment of freedom of movement … is, of necessity, a fundamental priority for us all

But he said it would not be a condition of travel to Greece adding he is “not going to make vaccination compulsory or a prerequisite for travel, persons who have been vaccinated should be free to travel

So in other words - he’d like people to be vaccinated but won’t make it mandatory.

This article isnt about the U.K. government setting up covid passports. This really is fake news and it needs to stop.

Thanks fpr clarifying Floridaflipflops, so this is yet another scaremongering thread/aren't old people selfish bastards thread, then?

@Frequentflier please can you ask MNHQ to amend the OP to make it clear what this is about, because this thread is bringing out the usual ageism now.

@Lemons1571

Surely there are millions of holidays booked in 2019 that couldn’t happen in 2020 so keep being delayed, particularly package holidays. None of those people booked their holiday during the pandemic.

This^^

We haven't chosen to book a holiday in summer 2021.

We had a holiday booked for Easter 2020 - we moved it to late Autumn 2020 and then in October moved it again to early summer 2021. I think if the variants hadn't been so problematic we'd probably have been able to go.

We have money tied up in expensive tickets that were bought separately from flights/hotel, won't be refunded and insurance will only pay out about £150 in total for. So if we can't go this time round we'll be writing off that money - and will have lost the window for our last big family holiday while our eldest DC still wants to come with us.

@RuleWithAWoodenFoot

This is just deeply unfair. Makes a 2 tier society. Outright not fair.

Presumably there'll be alternatives for those who've not been vaccinated, such as having to have a negative covid test prior to travel and/or quarantine/isolation etc? Every country will make it's own rules as to who they allow into their country.

@Beaniecats

Ok so we have been penned in, lost homes, jobs etc to protect elderly who now are free to travel abroad on jollies?

No, that's not what the article says. But well done on the ageism.

This isn't just about holidays though is it? It's about a two-tier society with vaccinated v unvaccinated (omitting those who don't want a vaccine).

The higher risk activities should only be opened up once all adults have been offered a vaccine, the oldies need to be patient now for the youngers to catch up.

Otherwise it will feel so very unfair and that breeds resentment, which would be a terrible society to re-emerge into as there are plenty of other problems to address.

Oh FFS.

I have had my first vaccination, so i'll be able to go abroad... yayy!!

alone, because my other half is a healthy 40yo so wont get his any time soon, and my child will not be vaccinated for a v long time considering its not licensed for children...

what a brilliant idea

Jeez, I don;t think it's scaremongering- I thought it was a way out for those of us stuck here- but fine, I will email MN to change the title to "UK plans certification system for those who want to travel to countries that may demand it as a condition for entry".