Green list news live: ‘No new countries to go green’, reports say as Portugal risks downgrade to amber

Closer to home, there have been rumblings that the next milestone for reopening after lockdown in England, originally slated for 21 June, could be postponed.

However, any delay would likely be by weeks rather than months, an expert has said, as he questioned why people appear “absolutely obsessed” with needing a date for restrictions ending rather than following the data.

Professor Robin Shattock said during a Royal Society of Medicine webinar on Thursday that lifting restrictions too quickly could mean we “lose those gains that we’ve got” and said any delay in moving to reopen would likely not be very lengthy.

He said: “I think we still need to look very carefully at the data.

”I’m still concerned about having enough people having vaccines in the areas particularly where we are seeing higher levels of the Delta variant.

“And so we just need to be careful we don’t unlock too quickly and lose those gains that we’ve got.

”If we are talking about a delay, we’re talking about a delay of weeks, not months anymore, that could be very significant.

“So I’m not so sure why everybody is absolutely obsessed by fixing it to a date and not fixing it to the data.”

Additional reporting by agencies

One traveller’s trip just went from bad to worse as reports surfaced that the government plans to remove Portugal from its “green list” for travel.

George Woodall wrote on Twitter previously of his holiday to Portugal to watch the Champions League final:

“Lose the champions league final.

“Test positive for Covid.

“Stuck in a Porto Airbnb for 2 weeks.

“What a trip, and it’s only just begun.”

The unlucky football fan has now updated his journey with a further tweet: “Portugal coming off the green list, meaning another 2 weeks in isolation when I get home.”

The pitfalls of international travel have rarely been greater.

Following the news that no countries will be added to the green list in today’s government review, CEO of the travel money specialist FairFX, Ian Strafford-taylor, has spoke of the ‘huge blow’ to holiday makers hoping for a summer break.

He said: “The lack of additions to the government’s green list at today’s review will be a huge blow for holidaymakers who have their hopes pinned on a summer break after so many months in lockdown, and sobering news for a travel industry fighting to get back on its feet.

“Many will be wondering why, with such a successful vaccine rollout and countries across much of Europe planning to open their doors to Brits this summer, more options haven’t been considered by the government.

“Despite the disappointing news, with the next review just three weeks’ away, holidaymakers should keep a close eye on any further announcements before booking a trip and, if they can, lock in rates while pound is strong to get more for their money.”

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has expressed “huge disappointment” at reports that the government will be adding no new destinations to its slender green list.

It highlighted the US and Malta as countries “to which travel should be restored immediately” due to similar vaccination levels to the UK and low infection rates.

Virginia Messina, WTTC senior vice president, said: “The World Travel & Tourism Council shares the huge disappointment of Travel & Tourism businesses up and down the country, as well as that of holidaymakers, that the government has once again cold-shouldered Travel & Tourism by refusing to add any new destinations to the already slim green list.”

She added: “It is essential we kick-start the return of international travel to save the flailing aviation industry and the global Travel & Tourism sector.

“If Portugal has been dropped into the amber list, it will crush the confidence to travel, depress forward bookings and deter holidaymakers. This will cause further stress to Travel & Tourism businesses already reeling from the green list announced just a few weeks ago.

“WTTC believes the time is now right for the UK to open the doors to safe travel and allow all those who are fully vaccinated or can show proof of a negative Covid-19 test, to travel freely.”

Portugal, the only mainstream holiday destination on the green list that is currently accessible to Britons, is reportedly set to tumble to the amber list in today’s travel update, in a further blow for holidaymakers.

Boris Johnson warned last night that the government “will not hesitate” in moving countries off the green list, if infections start to creep up.

Ministers are reported to have decided early on Thursday to remove Portugal, says the Telegraph.

The move will stymie British holidaymakers who have planned to travel to Portugal or Madeira in the coming weeks.

Read the full story here.

The travel industry is bracing for more company collapses and tens of thousands of additional job losses after government leaks indicated no more countries or islands would be added to the “green list”.

At present only Portugal and Gibraltar are viable summer-sun destination with no quarantine required on return to the UK. There are suggestions that Portugal may be removed from the green list.

Malta was fully expecting to be on the green list, with other candidates from Finland to a sprinkling of Greek islands making the cut.

Robert Boyle, analyst for Gridpoint Consulting, said: “In theory, we know what is being measured and the data sources being used, as the government has published that.

“What we don’t know is what the thresholds are and how they get from the data to the decisions.

“I think the truth is they follow the opinion polls.”

Paul Charles, chief executive of the travel consultancy The PC Agency said: “This decision will further threaten tens of thousands of jobs in aviation and travel, not to mention further damage consumer confidence.

“The data shows several countries should be green so the government’s decision defies logic. Summer is being squeezed by a policy of fear.”

Read travel correspondent Simon Calder’s full report here.

Grenada, tipped to be one of the new additions to the UK’s green list in its travel update, has said it is “extremely disappointed” to learn it will not be given the green light.

The Hon. Dr.Clarice Modeste Curwen, minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation, Climate Resilience and the Environment for Grenada, said: “We are extremely disappointed that Grenada was not added to the UK’s green list. It’s a huge blow for both holidaymakers and the travel and tourism sector. Grenada has had just 161 cases of Covid-19 since the onset of the pandemic and we have reported zero new cases locally since February.

“We’re proud to have successfully started rebuilding our tourism sector and welcoming back travellers from overseas while continuing to sustain no new cases of the virus, with 65 per cent of visitors already vaccinated prior to arrival.

“We have spared no resources and implemented a stringent, rigorous and successful programme to control any spread of the virus, including the implementation and enforcement of non-pharmacological protocols and vaccinating 90 per cent of hotel workers in the tourism sector. In line with the UK government requirement, we also carry out regular genomic sequencing to check for variants.

“We strongly believe that Grenada should be added to the UK’s green list as we have taken all the necessary measures to ensure the islands are safe and ready for visitors.”

Ahead of the UK government’s traffic light system review, expected later today, reports have emerged that no new countries will be added to the green list. Portugal, the only mainstream tourism destination that is currently green, is also at risk of moving to the amber list.