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Bristol Post
Bristol Post
Entertainment
Zasha Whiteway-Wilkinson

GMB's Dr Hilary on why he won't be going on holiday and 'confusing advice' on travel

ITV's resident health expert Dr Hilary explained why he wouldn't be going on holiday any time soon on today's GMB.

The Good Morning Britain GP slammed 'confusing government holiday guidance' on the show this morning, just days after foreign holidays to 'green list' countries were approved.

When presenter Susanna Reid asked him if he'd be booking a holiday abroad, Dr Hilary said firmly and quickly: "No, no."

Susanna added that she "presumed" he wouldn't be to which he agreed "I'm not".

If you're travelling to countries on the green list, you do not need to quarantine upon return - but this didn't seem to sway the doctor.

He said: "The reason is is that it's dangerous in the airport, it's dangerous in the plane and it's dangerous when you get to countries when you get to countries who don't have very good vaccination rates, where the Indian variant is going to take over quite soon as the dominant strain."

Dr Hilary went on to say: "I have to admire the Australians, you know. They've just said no travel, for anybody until March of next year, next year!

"That's why they have no Covid there. That's why they can go to concerts, go to cinemas, theatres and enjoy a normal life because they've been strict.

"And because they just say 'that is what we're going to do'."

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When it comes to what's legal and what's not when it comes to going on holiday, countries are divided into three categories: green, amber and red.

The ranking of countries depends on both their Covid-19 cases and the extent of their vaccine rollout.

These lists are reviewed every three weeks and travellers should be aware that countries can be added or removed at short notice.

There are currently 12 countries included on the green list, these are:

  • Portugal
  • Israel
  • Singapore
  • Australia
  • New Zealand
  • Brunei
  • Iceland
  • Gibraltar
  • Falkland Islands
  • Faroe Islands
  • South Georgia and the Sandwich Islands
  • St Helena, Tristan de Cunha and Ascension Island

If you're travelling to countries on the green list, you do not need to quarantine upon return.

Travellers should also be aware that not all countries listed as green destinations are welcoming visitors; the government has said it is holiday-goers' responsibility to check this.

If travelling to a green country, you must take a Covid-19 test and have proof of a negative result before your return to the UK.

You should also book and pay for a test for day two after your return, as well as complete a passenger locator form through the government website.

You do not need to quarantine after returning unless your day two test is positive, or NHS Test & Trace informs you that you travelled with someone who has tested positive.

The government has said people should not travel to amber countries, but this is no longer illegal as of today.

Countries such as India, Pakistan, Turkey, Brazil and South Africa, which are all on the red list, should not be travelled to.

For those who wish to stay closer to home, travel in England is permitted.

This comes after the BBC reported yesterday (May 18) that "there is "nothing conclusive" in the data that means England "would have to deviate from the roadmap" out of lockdown, the Prime Minister has said.

The government plans to end remaining legal limits on social contact from 21 June, but there is increasing concern about the Indian variant.

Ministers will "let people know in a few days' time" after data is studied.

On a visit to a vaccination centre in London, Boris Johnson continued to urge people to be cautious.

He said the situation with the Indian variant was "under very careful, close review", saying: "We're looking at all the data as it comes in from places like Bolton, Blackburn, Bedford, Sefton."

Mr Johnson said they were trying to understand if the Indian variant was more transmissible and "to what extent our vaccine programme has sufficiently fortified us".

He said: "We've got a few more days of looking at that data."

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