2024-02-01T08:34:10.633Z
In the News Today – 20th December 2021
With so much going on in the world we thought we’d lend you a hand and bring you a brand new feature here at Teletext Holidays which we hope you’ll find useful.
We will be bringing you weekly updates on the world of travel, holidays and much more in our ‘In the News Today’ updates. Each week we will be summarising the key items making the news agenda both here in the UK and abroad which will cut through a lot of noise and be your first point of call in the mornings!
We hope you enjoy this first edition and keep your eye out for the next installment coming soon!
In the UK
Fears of a pre-Christmas lockdown dominates the news this morning in the UK whilst countries across Europe tighten restrictions on UK travellers, making Christmas holidays to France and elsewhere unlikely for many.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan declared a major incident in the capital on Saturday due over 26,000 new cases being reported - the highest number since the start of the pandemic.
UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid refused to rule out introducing new COVID restrictions before the Christmas holidays in an attempt to get soaring Omicron cases under control. There are fears that increasing cases will mean that rules on social mixing could be reintroduced, similar to those experienced in 2020, and hospitality could see restrictions at a time which is normally their busiest period of the year.
With restrictions expected either pre or post-Christmas, more than 100,000 retail, hospitality and leisure businesses have written to the prime minister urgent assurances financial support.
In Europe
Germany has become the latest European country to ban most travellers from Britain in an attempt to slow the spread of the Omicron variant and an expected fifth wave. Travellers from the UK who are not German nationals must have a negative test and quarantine for two weeks, even if they have been double vaccinated, which follows similar restrictions imposed by France.
In the Netherlands, all non-essential shops, bars and restaurants will close until 14th January, with schools shut until 9th January. Denmark has closed theatres, concert halls, amusement parks and museums. Ireland imposed an 8 pm curfew on pubs and bars and limited attendance at indoor and outdoor events.
Entry Rule Changes
France closed its borders to non-essential UK travellers on December 17th.
Germany has banned all UK travellers for Christmas. Currently the restrictions are set to last until January 3rd.
Netherlands non-essential UK travellers can enter the Netherlands if fully vaccinated and show a negative test. Unvaccinated non-essential travellers from the UK are banned from entering.
Italy brought in new rules which now require UK travellers to present a negative Covid test taken 48 hours before arrival. Fully vaccinated travellers can present an antigen test within the 24 hours prior. UK travellers are required to self-isolate for five days until they take their second PCR or antigen test.
Make sure you keep up to date with the latest rules and we’ll be back next week with another update so make sure you check in!
