MILLIONS of holidaymakers are prepared to travel to amber-listed countries despite having to quarantine when they get back.
A new study* found that one in five adults said they would still travel to Portugal on holiday, and to other countries on the amber list, according to research by Well Pharmacy, UK’s largest independent pharmacy chain.
A whopping HALF of all Brits say they do not understand how the government’s traffic lights system for travel works. And one in three have no idea what a PCR test is – the lab-tested swabs needed for foreign travel.
Currently holidaymakers going to the handful of green list destinations – including Israel, Australia and Iceland – need to take a pre-departure Covid-19 test and a PCR test on or before day two of their return.
Arrivals from countries on the amber list will need to quarantine at home for 10 days, in addition to organising tests before and after their trip. Arrivals from countries on the red list must quarantine for 10 days in government-managed hotels. Countries on this list include the Maldives and Turkey. People should not travel there for leisure purposes.
Gillian Stone, NHS Standards and Services Manager & Deputy Superintendent from Well Pharmacy said:
“Even when the government reviews the traffic lights list in three weeks’ time, the message is clear: if you haven’t taken a PCR test before you go, you cannot travel abroad.
“Understandably there is a lot of pent-up demand for people to go on holiday. As international travel restarts safely, we want to make it as easy as possible for our customers to order the Covid tests they need so they can enjoy their much needed and much deserved holiday.
“Following the government rules and guidelines will keep us all safe and the traffic light system is in place for a reason, to stop the spread of the virus and ultimately save lives.”
