Fully-vaccinated UK holidaymakers are being advised not book Covid travel tests on their return if they are travelling after the end of this month.
Experts have hinted that the UK government is set to lift all Covid restrictions in time for the February school holidays with the change being announced on January 26.
Newspapers have claimed transport secretary Grant Shapps is understood to be in favour of ending the testing regime for the double-jabbed in time for next month’s half-term break.
That is also the date Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to lift many other regulations brought in to control the Omicron variant.
Fully-jabbed travellers must currently take a lateral flow test two days after returning to the UK. Anyone testing positive must isolate for 10 days, although this can be cut short with a negative lateral flow test on days six and seven.
Those who have not received a complete course of vaccines must isolate for 10 days with tests on days two and eight.
However, it is anticipated that people must have received the booster jab to be classified as fully-vaccinated.
Travel expert Paul Charles, founder of The PC Agency, posted on social media: "With the UK expected to drop arrivals tests, for the fully-vaccinated, at the end of January do not buy any inbound tests if you’re travelling after February 1. At last the wild-west £1billion-plus private test industry is nearing its end point.
"Day 2 arrivals tests - for those fully-jabbed - to be dropped for UK arrivals by end of January it appears. Dropping all tests for the fully-jabbed will boost confidence further and save travellers from high test costs; I hope the Passenger Locator Form goes too."
The UK eased its own travel restrictions earlier this month.
People who are fully vaccinated no longer have to take a pre-departure Covid test before they arrive in the UK, and can take a cheaper and quicker lateral flow test rather than a PCR test after they arrive back in the country.
If Day 2 tests are abolished in the next move it should save families on average around £300 a trip.
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