ALL the remaining countries on the hated red list could be declared covid safe on Thursday, The Sun can reveal.
Ministers are looking into whether they can end the need for hotel quarantine from the final seven destinations, as the risk of a vaccine busting variant declines.
Just Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Haiti, Panama, Peru and Venezuela remain on the banned list.
Arrivals from those countries still need to fork out £2285 to stay in government-approved accommodation when they land in the UK.
But even if every nation is declared safe, the option to add destinations to danger zones will stay in the event of a new variant of concern emerging.
Ministers will decide on the final list, tomorrow morning with an announcement in the afternoon.
Earlier this week, they eased the testing requirements for double jabbed holidaymakers returning to the UK by replacing expensive PCR tests with cheaper lateral flow swabs.
It follows the scrapping of the pre-departure tests for double vaccinated travellers coming back to the UK earlier this month.
Unvaccinated travellers are still required to take pre-departure tests, two PCRs on arrival and have to quarantine on their return to the UK.
On October 7, 47 countries were removed from the red list – but Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Haiti, Panama and Peru Venezuela were still under the travel ban.
Holidaymakers will hopefully be able to avoid last minute travel chaos if the remaining countries are struck off the list.
It seems the good news is on a roll, as it comes ahead of the United States lifting the travel ban from the UK and Europe for vaccinated passengers.
The restrictions will ease up over 18 months after Former President Donald Trump imposed the halt.
It is hoped Brits will enjoy ‘test free’ holidays next summer with no traffic light restrictions, the Transport Secretary said.
Grant Shapps said the vaccine is “the answer”, adding: “The vaccine is the thing that’s enabled us to make these big changes on international travel as well.”
He told Times Radio: “Having gone through this two years in a row, two summers in a row and, like many other people, experienced the shortcomings of a system that was able to change so quickly, I really do hope that this is the world going back to normal.”
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