The UK government is expected to announce whether any new countries will be added to the ‘green’ list tomorrow, as part of its review of the traffic light system.
The fact that no new countries were added to the ‘green’ list in the last review, and that the only popular tourist destination, Portugal, was removed from the ‘green’ list and instead added to the ‘amber’, has caused a lot of apprehension from the travel industry ahead of the announcement.
With Iceland and Gibraltar the only viable destinations for British travellers to visit on the ‘green’ list, the chance of a summer holiday abroad remains bleak. So much so that several thousands of workers in the travel industry have gathered today to lobby MPs to save jobs and help the travel industry during these very uncertain times.
There has, however, been speculation that destinations including Malta, Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza, and the Balearic Islands could finally become ‘green’ due to their decreasing infection rates and speedy vaccine roll-outs.
Should these destinations be added to the ‘green’ list tomorrow, travellers must remember to look for a policy that covers them if they test positive for Covid-19 both before and during their trip, as we know even those who are double vaccinated are not completely immune from catching Covid-19.
What we mean by this is that some policies will cover you to cancel your holiday if you catch the coronavirus and are legally required to isolate up to a week before your holiday takes place. Additionally, some travel insurance policies will also protect you while on holiday, in the event that you test positive for Covid-19 when taking your pre-departure test before returning to the UK.
Policies that include cover for a positive pre-departure test result tend to cover additional accommodation or transportation expenses. However, it’s worth being aware that this cover is not standard in all policies. Therefore, if you want this type of protection, you will need to check the policy wording.
For more information on the things travellers must consider when visiting a ‘green’ list country, click here.
