A clutch of top holiday destinations could be removed from the red list in the latest traffic light update expected later this week.
Covid data analyst, Tim White, has predicted that 12 countries popular with British travellers could be promoted to the amber list, removing the mandatory hotel quarantine requirement. Among them are Turkey and the key winter sun destinations of South Africa and the Maldives. All three countries are currently reporting Covid rates significantly lower than the UK’s and are accepting British travellers.
Mr White highlighted to The Independent that Argentina, Bangladesh, the Dominican Republic, Indonesia, Kenya, Mexico, Pakistan, Peru and Sri Lanka also qualify to be relieved of their red list status.
The predictions follow other reports that the red list is expected to be significantly shrunk, with a new definition adopted for when countries are put on it, based on dangerous Covid variants.
Currently there are 62 countries on the list. But a much shorter list – possibly based on prevalence of the beta variant first found in South Africa – is likely to be issued instead. Paul Charles, chief executive of travel consultancy The PC Agency, has said as many as 24 red list countries could fall off the list if the beta variant became a key factor in decision-making.
