Covid in Leeds: Government confirms new 'green list' countries with plans to open up holidays for double-jabbed

Malta, Madeira, the Balearic Islands, several UK Overseas Territories and Caribbean Islands (including Barbados) will be added to the list from 4am on Wednesday June 30.

All additions to the green list apart from Malta will also join the “green watchlist”, as will Israel and Jerusalem – signalling that these countries are at risk of moving from green to amber.

People arriving in the UK from green list destinations are not required to self-isolate.

The full list of countries to be added to the red list includes Eritrea, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Mongolia, Tunisia and Uganda.

Mr Shapps has said it is the Government’s intention that “later in the summer” UK residents who are fully vaccinated will not have to isolate when travelling from amber list countries, adding that further details will be set out next month.

He added: “We’re moving forward with efforts to safely reopen international travel this summer, and thanks to the success of our vaccination programme, we’re now able to consider removing the quarantine period for fully vaccinated UK arrivals from amber countries – showing a real sign of progress.

“It’s right that we continue with this cautious approach, to protect public health and the vaccine rollout as our top priority, while ensuring that our route out of the international travel restrictions is sustainable.”

The Department for Transport said: “In recognition of our successful domestic vaccination programme, and as part of the Global Travel Taskforce’s checkpoint review, our intention is that later in the summer, arrivals who are fully vaccinated will not have to quarantine when travelling from amber list countries.

“We expect this to occur in phases, starting with UK residents. They will still be required to take a pre-departure test and a test on Day 2, and any positive results will be sequenced to continue to manage the risk of importing variants.

“At the same time, we intend to remove the guidance that people should not travel to amber countries. Pending decisions on whether under-18s should routinely be offered vaccination, we will also take clinical advice on whether regular testing can provide a safe alternative to quarantine for children accompanied by vaccinated adults.

“Further detail will be set out next month including the rules which will apply to children and those unable to be vaccinated, how we will operationalise this approach at the border, and the dates on which these changes will come into effect.”