Speaking at the government’s latest Covid briefing on Wednesday (19 May), Hancock was reticent on whether the UK would reciprocate EU proposals that would more broadly reopen the continent to Brits.
The EU is proposing to reopen its borders to all visitors fully vaccinated against Covid-19 with a jab approved by the European Medicines Agency.
It will also draw up a "white list" of countries from which people can travel to the EU even if they are not fully vaccinated; the effective "safe list" is expected to be based on countries’ current rate of Covid infection.
Countries with an incidence of Covid infection of 75 cases per 100,000 or less are expected to qualify for the green list, although the union said it would also take account of infection trends in its decision-making.
Member states will also be free to "take into account" restrictions placed on their citizens when travelling to third countries, such as the UK; at present, all EU arrivals in the UK – with the exception of those travelling from Portugal – would have to quarantine for 10 days and take two PCR tests following their arrival.
After days of mixed messaging on the true effect of the government’s traffic light policy, Hancock reiterated the government’s strict guidance that people should not be travelling to amber list countries for leisure purposes.
“We have been absolutely crystal clear that you should not go to an amber or red list country on holiday,” said Hancock, who also reiterated prime minister Boris Johnson’s insistence there was no need to legislate against travel to amber list countries.
“You don’t necessarily have to ban everything," said Hancock. "But what we do know is the public have been brilliant at exercising the personal responsibility that we are seeking.”
The health secretary also wouldn’t be drawn on the disparity between the traffic light system and the Foreign Office’s travel advice; delegates at Abta’s Travel Law seminar, which took place just a few hours before Hancock took to the podium at Downing Street, were told to pay greater attention to FCDO advice than traffic light categories.
Several airlines and operators are offering amber list departures, in line with FCDO advice and in defiance of government advice and guidance.
Caution
Quizzed on the EU’s plans to reopen to vaccinated travellers, and those from third countries with low rates of Covid infection, Hancock gave no suggestion the UK would reciprocate, pointing towards the higher incidence of the South African variant of Covid-19 in mainland Europe.
"It’s a matter for the EU what their regulations are," said Hancock. "I’ve seen the proposals, we will work with them. Long-term, we need to find a way to have safe international travel."
He added that for now, caution was advisable.
