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England lifting all countries from Covid ‘red list’ England lifting all countries from Covid ‘red list’
(33 minutes later)
The British government is removing all the countries named on England’s pandemic travel red list, the Secretary for Transport Grant Shapps has announced. The British government is removing all the countries named on England’s pandemic travel red list, Secretary for Transport Grant Shapps has announced.
“From 4am on Wednesday December 15, all 11 countries will be removed from England’s travel list,” Shapps revealed in a statement posted on Twitter. “From 4am on Wednesday, December 15, all 11 countries will be removed from England’s travel list,” Shapps revealed in a statement posted on Twitter on Tuesday.
He added that all current Covid testing measures for travelers arriving into the country would remain in place and be reviewed “in the first week of January.” He added that all current Covid testing measures for travelers arriving into the country would remain in place, but would be reviewed “in the first week of January.”
Shapps also said that all the travel measures remain subject to review and that the government is prepared to impose new restrictions “should there be a need to do so to protect public health”. Shapps said all travel measures remained subject to review, and the government was prepared to impose new restrictions “should there be a need to do so to protect public health.”
The announcement came amid growing indications that Omicron – the new Covid-19 variant that has prompted recent travel bans and restrictions – is milder than earlier strains. There are growing indications that Omicron – the new Covid-19 variant that has prompted the recent bans and restrictions – is milder than earlier-detected strains.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid told parliament that the decision to clear the red list was taken because the travel ban is now proving to be less effective. He said that given Omicron “has spread so widely across the world”, the red list is now “less effective in slowing the incursion of Omicron from abroad.” Health Secretary Sajid Javid told Parliament the decision to clear the red list was taken because the travel ban was not proving to be as effective as had been expected. He said that, given Omicron had “spread so widely across the world,” the red list was now proving “less effective in slowing the incursion of Omicron from abroad.”
The red list announcement came on the same day the government puts forward a number of new domestic Covid restrictions for parliamentary approval, including Covid passes for entry into nightclubs and larger venues in England. A number of legislators in the prime minister's party have already indicated they intend to vote against the proposals. The red list announcement came on the same day the government put forward a number of new domestic restrictions for parliamentary approval, including Covid passes for entry into nightclubs and larger venues in England. A number of Conservative MPs – the prime minister's party – have already indicated they intend to vote against these proposals.
Also on Tuesday, London's public health chief Kevin Fenton said the latest data showed Omicron had become the dominant strain in Covid infections across the capital. Also on Tuesday, Professor Kevin Fenton, the London regional director of Public Health England, told the Evening Standard the latest data showed Omicron had become the dominant strain of Covid infections across the capital.