What is the Traffic Light System of the Countries for Summer Holidays 2021?

Holidays in foreign for summer 2021 will be based on the traffic light system. Let’s see what this system is.

These are confusing times regarding the summer holidays of 2021. The government is announcing that summer holidays won't be possible one day, but the next day, it seems a highly possible scenario. For the time being, enjoying the summer holidays seems possible. In an interview with Sky News, transport secretary Grant Shapps, current circumstances are more accessible than the previous year. People can book their holidays which will be the case, unlike last months. He also said that the situation is making 'tentative progress. Coronavirus risk is still out there. That's why there is a traffic light system for countries, and people are most likely to choose countries in the green light zone, but the official list of countries in every zone is yet to be published. After all this time, people are looking for relaxation of mind, so it might be possible for the citizens of Wales to visit the country of their liking. Still, the government and people will have to be cautious to prevent the return of Covid-19 in the country.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson also expressed that he is hopeful for the international flights to the limited countries from May 17. This would be a huge step from the government to make the country ‘fly’ again.

The international travel will be based on traffic light system which will have its risks. The countries will be divided into green, amber, and red zones. This means that some countries will have a high number of cases that won't be on either of the lists, and people won't be able to go to them as these countries will be restricted. Before booking your holiday in any of the countries belong to any zone, you must check every country's Foreign Policy and then book your tickets and meet the requirement of the destined country.

What is the Traffic Light System?

According to the Global Task Published by the government, it is explained how international travel will resume for the summer holidays. Every country will be put in green, amber, and red zones. This division will base on the number of cases in each country, infection rate, and vaccination roll-out. Following are the details of each zone:

Green

People who will be travelling to countries won't need to self-isolate themselves on returning to the UK. 2 days after returning to the UK; they will require a pre-departure test and PCR test.

Amber

A 10-day quarantine will be needed for those travellers who choose to travel to the countries in the Amber Zone. The quarantine will be over if the test of these people will come out negative, which will be taken five days after they arrive in the UK. On day two and day 8 of their arrival in the UK, they will require to take a pre-departure and PCR test.

Red

All the travellers to red zone countries will be required to complete an 11-day quarantine in the government-decided hotel, whose cost will be 1750 GBP. Moreover, they will require to take COVID tests before and after their arrival in the UK.

Potential List of Countries in Green Zone

Countries' decision to be put in the green zone is likely to be taken in early May. This decision will base on the data collected on the nearest possible dates to the allowed travel date. There will also be a Green Watchlist; the countries in this list can be moved to the amber list at any time. The decisions will be reviewed on June 28, July 31, and October 1.

Following are the countries which are most likely to appear in the green zone:

Israel

In Israel, the success of vaccination is globally acknowledged. Israel is soon to create a Vaccine bubble with Greece, allowing the people to travel in both countries without any need to quarantine themselves. The UK and Israel are in talks of a travel corridor that will make things easier and safer. According to the tourism ministry, this travel corridor will be in-act in the mid-2021.

Malta

Malts are one of the destinations in which the UK citizens love to travel because of their clear blue water and white sand. This is highly possible that Malta will be on the Green list of the UK. Malta has already announced that from June 1, UK citizens are allowed to travel to Malta if they have their vaccination card, stating that they have completed the two-dose vaccination process. Travels must show their vaccination cards before getting on to the plane to Malta. According to Malta's traffic light system of the countries, the UK is in the red zone, which means that people of the UK can enjoy the Mediterranean Sea by showing the vaccination card.

Portugal

It was announced that Portugal would be out of the red zone of banned countries. It can be possible that it will be in the green zone and enjoy their holidays in Portugal this summer. According to Portugal's Secretary of State for Tourism, Rita Marques, Portugal will soon be allowing restriction-free travel for those who are vaccinated and those who are immune or shown negative results on their COVID tests. People from the UK are welcomed in the country from May 17.

Gibraltar

It is one of the countries which finished the vaccination of its entire population. This makes this European country to be in the green zone. The average number of cases of Covid-19 in Gibraltar is 7. Gibraltar is also preparing for the citizen of the UK to visit the country from May 17.

Barbados

Barbados has 70+ miles of beaches. It is a popular destination for water-sport and deep-sea diving. Because the daily coronavirus cases are in a single figure now and only 120 cases are detected in the last 14 days, there are high chances that Barbados will be in the green zone too. As Barbados has put the UK as a high-risk country, travellers from the UK must bring a negative PCR test from an authenticate laboratory 3-days before they arrive in Barbados.

Maldives

Even at the time of lockdown, 5000+ UK citizens have visited the Maldives. But this won't be the case anymore, as the Maldives is likely to be included in the green zone so that there won't be any rule-breaking. The travellers from the UK must have a negative PCR report which is taken 96-hours before they arrive in the Maldives.

USA

President Joe Biden promised that by the end of May, the entire country would be vaccinated. Currently, more than 1.74 million doses are given to the citizens of the USA. There are high chances that UK citizens will be allowed to travel to the States after it is in the green zone.

Other Popular Destinations

The authorities confirm nothing, but we can predict some of the countries that can be in amber or red zones as it stands. The popular countries, including Spain, Greece, Turkey, Cyprus, and Croatia, are more likely to be in the amber zone. After returning from these countries, the travellers have to quarantine themselves for five days at home. Seychelles are in the red zone, but some changes will be in the amber zone soon.

France is on the red list, and it is implausible that this country will be out of this zone. France is now in its third lockdown as it recorded 46,677 new cases and 304 deaths last week.

On April 1, Italy recorded 23,634 new cases and 501 deaths, putting the country in a three-day lockdown. The increased number of cases in Italy explains every reason for it to be in the red zone of the UK, and it is likely to remain so. Although, Italy has lifted the travel ban from many countries. The visitors will only require to be in quarantine for five days, along with the negative PCR test taken 48 hours before the arrival.

Countries in the Red Zone

Following is the updated list of the countries which are in the red zone of the UK traffic light system of the countries:

• Angola
• Argentina
• Bangladesh
• Bolivia
• Botswana
• Brazil
• Burundi
• Cape Verdi
• Chile
• Colombia
• Democratic Republic of Congo
• Ecuador
• Eswatini
• Ethiopia
• French Guiana
• Kenya
• Lesotho
• Malawi
• Mozambique
• Namibia
• Oman
• Pakistan
• Panama
• Paraguay
• Peru
• Philippines
• Qatar
• Rwanda
• Seychelles
• Somalia
• South Africa
• Suriname
• Tanzania
• UAE
• Uruguay
• Venezuela
• Zambia
• Zimbabwe

If you decide to visit these countries mentioned above, you will require to complete a mandatory 11-days quarantine in a quarantined hotel which will cost 1750 GBP. But it is recommended not to visit these countries unless there is an absolute emergency.