Conflicting update re holidays

[waterlane]

So Matt Hancock confirmed they are looking at scrapping the quarantine if you've been double jabbed this morning and this afternoon Boris basically says don't get your hopes up for travel. Why the conflicting advice and news all the time?? I just don't get it.

@Thirtyrock39

I wish they had just said in January - foreign holidays are extremely unlikely ...the press haven't helped - I've been frantically googling for months and it's been farcical how for example the tabloids go from 'hol-yay' to 'hol-nay' headlines day to day and the express etc will have quotes that are always people in the travel industry being ridiculously over optimistic. We have just moved our foreign holiday again but I knew it wouldn't happen this year

The holi-yay/holi-nay headlines are beyond a joke now. Daily Mails headline today is saying holidays are likely to be back on. Yesterday it was Boris says holidays are unlikely. Our press has become a joke. That must also be in part due to the messages they're receiving from the governments press advisers. It's all so chaotic. If you compare with the Spanish National newspaper El Pais for example it makes a mockery of our press.

You believe the DM?! The word MH used when pushed was may and it depended on scientific data so nothing will change soon.

@Lucidas

It won’t be in place until all adults have been offered two jabs.

Well in that case we might as well forget about going abroad until September at the earliest. 18 to mid 20s are only booking now, which means it's going to be at least two months until they're double jabbed unless they shorten the intervals again.

@LIZS

You believe the DM?! The word MH used when pushed was may and it depended on scientific data so nothing will change soon.

It's also being widely reported in the press- the guardian, independent and times all leading with the same headlines today. I mentioned the DM because they have conflicting stories on the same page! But perhaps it is more hopeful if other outlets are reporting the same kind of story

Matt Mancock's proposal includes daily tests to replace quarantine even for those who are vaccinated. I am assuming the NHS won't foot the bill which is going to add even more £££ to a family holiday.

If you keep reading to the end of The Times report, there's a para which says this:

"A potential obstacle to the plans is how to treat children, who have not yet been approved for the jab. The Times understands this has led to an idea within some parts of government to hold off from the quarantine exemption until September, to avoid an influx of children returning from foreign holidays and spreading the virus in schools."

I'm now convinced the Govt is spinning these stories just so the over 18s will rush to get vaccinated and that it has no plan to introduce the exemption until after schools go back.

What's the gap now between 1st and 2nd doses?

I'm just wondering when all these 18-29 year olds who've just had their 1st dose will get their second, because then you have to wait 14 days until you're fully vaccinated.

@BarbaraofSeville

This gives the illusion that holidays are available to take but the reality is, the Government want us spending money in the UK, not abroad

But restricting foreign travel isn't likely to lead to more money being spent in the UK.

This summer, pretty much everything in the UK is booked up and/or silly money. There just isn't any more capacity.

If the only option is a massively overpriced UK holiday, with expensive restaurants that need to be booked in advance, expensive parking and expensive entrance to attractions that again have to be pre-booked so you're stuck with your plans or else you lose money and there's no freedom to see what the unpredictable UK weather is going to do, then I'd rather stay at home and wait until next year. I suspect a lot of people feel the same.

I think the fact that everything is booked up even at silly prices proves that people are holidaying in the UK. I ususally do 2 or 3 trips abroad with perhaps the odd weekend in the UK. In January I booked four UK holidays, all 4 or 5 days as I don't want a week in the pouring rain. I've spent far more than I've ever spent before on a UK holiday, upped the quality of accommodation as well.

I don't mind because it's better than staying at home, because I don't work Iam at home 52 weeks of the year and I need a change.

Hopefully it will go some way to boosting the UK economy in hospitality which has suffered badly.

What do we think will happen tomorrow?

I'm so confused. One minute I'm mentally packing, the next I'm mentally spending the £5k we'd save by not going. I don't even know which I'd prefer at this point 😂

I'm secretly hoping there won't be a need for PCR tests now, sounds like there won't be for the kids now Greece has changed its testing age to 12, DH and I will be double vaxxed by the time we go.

@waterlane I think that Ascension Island and the Falkland Islands will remain on the green travel list. No idea what else will happen.

www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jun/23/all-uk-arrivals-in-eu-should-be-quarantined-says-angela-merkel

It's quite simple really. Hancock and chums can say what they want. But they can't make other countries let us in.

We are a high risk country, and other places are restricting entry from the UK.

Just because we fail to take measures to suppress and contain, keep out new strains and try to minimise the chances of potentially vaccine resistant variants developing, doesn't mean other countries will do the same. We might have almost no pandemic border control but they do.

Hopefully it will go some way to boosting the UK economy in hospitality which has suffered badly

Limited uk capacity, not least staffing issues and no foreign travel means no tax revenue from airlines and airports plus all the associated industries oh and furlough costs... lower tax take.

People always go to places like Cornwall or the lakes.

People always go to places like Cornwall or the lakes.

And so, with those places being largely booked up, nows the time to give much needed boost to long neglected less 'fashionable' seaside and other UK holiday spots. Lowestoft, Great Yarmouth, and all across the north east, for example.

Someone needs to shut Merkel up. They already have the delta variant on the continent. Not letting people from the UK visit is not going to change a thing for them.

@Tealightsandd

People always go to places like Cornwall or the lakes.

And so, with those places being largely booked up, nows the time to give much needed boost to long neglected less 'fashionable' seaside and other UK holiday spots. Lowestoft, Great Yarmouth, and all across the north east, for example.

Perhaps but are these less well known places geared up for an increase in tourism?

I used to work for a Hull based company (Kingston communications), Hull has/had an awful image problem but to honest, i loved the place, Cottingham, the Wolds, the regenerated port and a fantastic array of restaurants, not least an amazing Italian just outside of the 'city.
People were dead friendly, far more than the Cornish who to be frank, are quite insular, as is much of the south of england.

Had i stayed in that particular relationship, i'd have moved there.

ITV Evening news at 7.40 had airline staff demonstrations and then shapps saying if you've been double vaccinated it's fine to travel, when asked about euros football staff coming over for the semis he said it was just to do their job and they wouldn't be going to Harrods!

Hopefully the EU follow Merkels lead and restrict entry to UK nationals. We are a high risk country with high numbers of infected, any country allowing us in is simply going to cause themselves big problems. We should be on everyone’s Red list.

@waterlane

So Matt Hancock confirmed they are looking at scrapping the quarantine if you've been double jabbed this morning and this afternoon Boris basically says don't get your hopes up for travel. Why the conflicting advice and news all the time?? I just don't get it.

Neither do I. I do wonder if international travel is over for most of us except for the elite. It just seems to go on and on.

@Thewiseoneincognito

Hopefully the EU follow Merkels lead and restrict entry to UK nationals. We are a high risk country with high numbers of infected, any country allowing us in is simply going to cause themselves big problems. We should be on everyone’s Red list.

Even if those tourists are double jabbed and have to do tests?

@Baluchistan95

I think you'll find its all down to incompetence.

Mixed messages has been the hallmark of this government.

But yes, the elite would like to return to pre 1980s travel

@Tealightsandd

www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jun/23/all-uk-arrivals-in-eu-should-be-quarantined-says-angela-merkel

It's quite simple really. Hancock and chums can say what they want. But they can't make other countries let us in.

We are a high risk country, and other places are restricting entry from the UK.

Germany has got delta in the country despite rhe ban for British visitors that has been I. Place for 3-4 weeks. Maybe angela should care more about combating delta rather than telling other countries what to do

@Thewiseoneincognito

Hopefully the EU follow Merkels lead and restrict entry to UK nationals. We are a high risk country with high numbers of infected, any country allowing us in is simply going to cause themselves big problems. We should be on everyone’s Red list.

Not everything has to be black or white. Im less danger to someone being doubled vaccinated than someone in Germany who hasn’t taken any of the vaccines. They can ask for proof of vaccine and Pcrs if they want to protect their countries.

Im Spanish and I’m pretty sore Spain will try anything before saying no to their biggest tourism

@roses2

Matt Mancock's proposal includes daily tests to replace quarantine even for those who are vaccinated. I am assuming the NHS won't foot the bill which is going to add even more £££ to a family holiday.

Daily pcr tests?