Paphos Life

Overseas summer holidays ‘extremely unlikely’, scientist warns

LUKE POWELL AND JANE KIRBY
PA MEDIA
20 March 2021, 10:32 am

Holidays to foreign destinations will be “extremely unlikely” this summer due to the risk of new Covid-19 variants being brought back into the UK, a scientist has warned.
Infectious disease expert Dr Tildesley told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I think that international travel this summer is, for the average holidaymaker, sadly I think, extremely unlikely,
“I think we are running a real risk if we do start to have lots of people going overseas in July and August because of the potential for bringing more of these new variants back into the country.
Dr Mike Tildesley, a member of the Spi-M modelling group which advises the Government, said there was a danger that new variants could jeopardise the vaccination programme later in the year.
“What is really dangerous is if we jeopardise our vaccination campaign by having these variants where the vaccines don’t work as effectively spreading more rapidly.”
Other experts have warned there could be a third wave of Covid-19 infections in the UK and advised people not to consider overseas holidays when restrictions ease later this year.

I do hope this won't come to pass.

I haven't seen my son and his family since 2019, I was hoping to fly to Cyprus to see them in June.

It all seems to be another 'Project fear'! At this rate the UK will be pulling up its proverbial drawbridge.. no one in or out... I think that we are all going to have to learn to live without a complete sacrifice to the risks of Covid variants. No doubt vaccines will be tweaked to help give immunity to new variants..

Dee

And how would the UK Government prevent people from travelling abroad ?

Apart from closing all ports to passengers or / and cancelling all UK passports I cannot see the British public taking any notice of what any politician or scientist says.

People will travel and people will spread the virus.

Not interested in what this individual has to say

If the flights are operating, I’ll be flying

If the UK Government keep its 'Travel Form' in play, the airline can refuse permission to board.

It's not that important to have a foreign holiday once or twice in a lifetime in my opinion.

Beechwood

I'll be flying too, provided that my son isn't barred from having relatives from the UK staying with him.

Diocletian

I quite agree with what you say, however for me, it's not just a foreign holiday.

Jackie

It would seem that we are not out of the woods. Several members of this forum say that that they will be flying, who knows how many of them will have the coronavirus by the time they come back, despite the fact that they have been vaccinated? It may be a bit early to tell but, if these people do bring back a new version of coronavirus, then they should be condemned to cleaning hospital wards every day for three years!

Yes,traveling in these circumstances does have its risks. The fact that the Uk virus has arrived in Cyprus is probably due to infected people from UK flying back here. Maybe it might have arrived with people who flew here for Christmas? What Cyprus doesn't need are the Brazilian or South African viruses which have also been seen in the UK.

Dee

There are many thousands of different versions, or variants, of Covid circulating.

Apart from the Brazil variant (also known as P.1), concerns focus on a few:
A UK or Kent variant (also known as B.1.1.7) now dominant in much of Britain, has spread to more than 50 countries and appears to be mutating again
A South Africa variant (B.1.351) found in at least 20 other countries, including the UK

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-55659820

Firefly wrote: ↑Sat Mar 20, 2021 3:37 pm I do hope this won't come to pass.

I haven't seen my son and his family since 2019, I was hoping to fly to Cyprus to see them in June.

We were planning to go to Oz this year to see our son, his wife and our first grandchild.
Our grandchild will be 4 this year and the last time we saw our son was when he came to visit us in Cyprus in November 2013 with his girlfriend.

It's not going to happen this year, that's quite obvious.... It is what it is, and it's in the lap of the gods.

We can't make long term plans as our son is in the Australian Royal Navy and recently been promoted as well as had to relocate from Sydney to Canberra. He may be given orders to set sail at any time, which means six months at sea.

So, we take our chances with short term measures.

We will juggle our visit whenever it may be possible to fit it in.

Devil wrote: ↑Sat Mar 20, 2021 6:28 pm It would seem that we are not out of the woods. Several members of this forum say that that they will be flying, who knows how many of them will have the coronavirus by the time they come back, despite the fact that they have been vaccinated? It may be a bit early to tell but, if these people do bring back a new version of coronavirus, then they should be condemned to cleaning hospital wards every day for three years!

Devil ,are you saying that you can get the virus even if you have been vaccinated or have i read your message wrong?

Chaddy wrote: ↑Sun Mar 21, 2021 7:05 am

Devil wrote: ↑Sat Mar 20, 2021 6:28 pm It would seem that we are not out of the woods. Several members of this forum say that that they will be flying, who knows how many of them will have the coronavirus by the time they come back, despite the fact that they have been vaccinated? It may be a bit early to tell but, if these people do bring back a new version of coronavirus, then they should be condemned to cleaning hospital wards every day for three years!

Devil ,are you saying that you can get the virus even if you have been vaccinated or have i read your message wrong?

Devil will give a more scientific reply, but as far as I understand it, the vaccination does not stop you from getting the virus, it lessens the affects from it.

WHL wrote: ↑Sun Mar 21, 2021 9:07 am Devil will give a more scientific reply, but as far as I understand it, the vaccination does not stop you from getting the virus, it lessens the affects from it.

I cannot give a more scientific reply for the simple reason that yours is perfectly adequate. I cannot quote the exact date but I remember during the war we had to have smallpox vaccinations and we were told then that some people got the fever but it did not cause pustules.

Jules

I don't know how old you are, but non of us are getting any younger.

If one is fortunate enough to have a spouse you live with, to share the days events, to care for, to share concerns with, lockdown will have been hard enough. Living alone through it has taken it's toll on me. My great granddaughter I have seen only twice since her birth eighteen months ago, albeit that she lives in the UK, as it stands she will not know me when next she sees me, and that's sad.

My son's teenage children are growing fast, and I miss seeing them during that time.

I will do what the government allow me to do, unlike many, who have totally disregarded the lockdown measures, or bent them to suit themselves. If I am permitted to fly by the UK and Cypriot authorities, I will. The threat of the virus is with us all, everyday, but we still have to live and not in fear, but with caution.

WHL, Yes, from what I have read in reports that's true. Having your 2 shots of vaccine apparently, will not prevent one's chance of picking up the virus. But it should prevent you from becoming seriously ill.
So, its beginning to make the chance of flying anywhere abroad this summer unlikely.
I need to go to the UK, not just for a holiday but for practical reasons. So this situation is worrying.
My sister living in Australia,would very much like her son, now resident in Spain to visit her to see his father who is seriously ill. But, Australia's borders are sealed so its virtually impossible. She told me that so far Australia hasn't been able to get any vaccine to start its roll out.

Dee

I cannot give a more scientific reply for the simple reason that yours is perfectly adequate. I cannot quote the exact date but I remember during the war we had to have smallpox vaccinations and we were told then that some people got the fever but it did not cause pustules.
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I wonder if things have changed at all in the last 76 years?

It makes one wonder what our lives, if we had one, would have been like without vaccines.

From what I've read as requirements so far is the full course of the vaccine complete with the last vaccination to be no less than 7 days before travel.

Some are saying if people have only had one vaccination injection or cannot have it at all, then a PCR negative test result is required 72hrs before travel with possible retest on arrival or short duration quarantine to provide a Negative result.

So far, no mention of what will happen regarding return to UK but a few moments ago there's talk of submissions being put forward to the MPs on Thursday to extend the Covid measures until September.

One of my neighbours who goes to the Athena Beach every year had an Email last week from Constantinou Brothers saying that if he was able to have his Holiday this year several procedures had been put in place regarding moving around the hotel and meals etc, At this point in time masks would have to be worn at all times within the building except when in your room, It also said that they had come to an arrangement with a local laboratory to have Covid tests done at the hotel site 2 days prior to your flight home at your expense - If the test were to come back positive then you would not be flying and would be transferred to a government allotted hotel for two weeks quarantine at your expense - He basically said to me Sod That - No way I will be going this year now.