Huge travel update coming this week – which countries will move off the red list?

According to a report first published in the Sunday Telegraph, 45 countries could soon be removed from the red list.

Just nine countries are expected to remain on the red list, marking a drastic overhaul to draconian travel rules which have been in force since late 2020.

The plans mark the Government’s latest plans to get society and the economy back to “normality” after the worst of the pandemic.

The changes, which will allow fully vaccinated travellers to visit each of the countries without having to self-isolate on their return, are expected to be announced on Thursday following a review of the current list.

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Which countries will stay on the red list?

While this is good news for people who’ve faced lengthy separations from families in red list countries, there could still be a handful that face hotel quarantine if they travel.

The list of which countries could remain red is unknown, however, it is likely to be those with poor vaccination rates and a high risk of new variants.

For example, Burundi, Eritrea, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Haiti all have low vaccination rates which could make them more of a risk.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “We are accelerating towards a future where travel continues to reopen safely and remains open for good, and today’s rule changes are good news for families, businesses and the travel sector.

“Our priority remains to protect public health but, with more than eight in 10 people now fully vaccinated, we are able to take these steps to lower the cost of testing and help the sector to continue in its recovery.”

There was a surge in holiday bookings after the government announced the changes last month and the travel sector has welcomed the move.

The industry previously criticised the government for being too slow to ease and simplify rules on testing and quarantine.