Covid travel restrictions like testing and self-isolating to continue in January in blow to sun-seekers

TRAVEL plans will continue to be disrupted by Covid restrictions – with testing and isolation expected to remain in place until the end of January.

The invasive measures for travellers are unlikely to ease at the review point on January 5, despite studies that show Omicron is a milder variant.

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Senior travel industry sources have “abandoned hope” rules like the negative tests before entering the UK, self-isolation on arrival and day two PCRs will by lifted as soon as it was hoped, The Times reports.

A source told the newspaper: “Any hope of the measures being ditched has basically evaporated.

“The mood music from the government is to keep everything in place through January while they try and work out just how bad winter is going to be. It’s a disaster for the industry.

“It is a massive barrier. People are terrified of testing positive overseas and being stranded.”

This is despite a string of hugely positive studies on Omicron – with the first official UK report revealing the risk of hospitalisation is 50 to 70 per cent lower than with Delta.

Covid booster jabs protect against Omicron and offer the best chance to get through the pandemic, health officials have repeatedly said.

The Sun’s Jabs Army campaign is helping get the vital extra vaccines in Brits’ arms to ward off the need for any new restrictions.

The travel industry has been trying to convince ministers to ditch the strict tests which were brought in when Omicron cases started rising.

The tests are seen as a huge hurdle to holiday-makers looking to escape to the sun or head away on a skiing trip – and can prevent lower-income families from affording trips overseas.

A source told the Times:

A senior aviation source said the industry doesn’t expect measure to disappear until at least the end of January.

They said: “Even with the promise of a review every three weeks by the Department for Transport, there have been suggestions they’ll be in place for two or three months.

”In normal years, more than five million holidays are booked between Boxing Day and the end of January.

“The Civil Aviation Authority is urging people to only book Atol-protected breaks, ensuring their cash is protected in the event of supplier failure.”

It comes as countries implemented strict travel bans while COVID rages across the UK.

Morocco extended its travel ban until February, due to the continued rise in cases.

The country announced that flights to and from the UK were banned back in October due to Covid.

The National Office of Airports has since confirmed that the “suspension of all passenger flights to and from Morocco will be extended until January 31, 2022”.

This is another blow to Brits, after easyJet, BA and Rynair cancelled flights due to the new travel rules.

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