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Brits Who Haven't Had Booster Jab To Be Banned From Holidays In EU Next Year

Brits Who Haven't Had Booster Jab To Be Banned From Holidays In EU Next Year

UK under 18s might be banned from Holidays next year if they haven't had their booster vaccination jab

Anish Vij

Anish Vij

Brits who haven't had their booster jab are reportedly set to be banned from holidaying in Europe next year.

The EU announced new travel rules that require all over-18s to have the top-up nine months after their second dose.

The change will come in to play at the beginning of March, while under 40s in the UK are currently still waiting for their boosters.

A source from The Sun said: "After March 1, no booster equals no travel into the EU for non-essential reasons."

Alamy

The United Kingdom is bringing in new travel restrictions for people coming from six African countries after a 'horrific' new coronavirus variant was detected.

The B.1.1.529 variant was first detected in Botswana and it has since spread to several other countries.

It has 32 mutations in its spike protein, which could cause issues for people who are already vaccinated.

The spike protein is the part of the virus that the vaccine will use to get your immune system ready for an incoming virus. The more mutations means the less likely the antibodies in your system will be able to effectively fight the virus.

The UK's Health Secretary Sajid Javid has revealed they are putting South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Lesotho and Eswatini on the red list for travel restrictions.

That means, if you have travelled to that region or are coming directly from there and wish to come the UK then you will have to quarantine upon arrival.

The declaration will kick into gear at midday today (Friday 26 November).

"What we do know is there's a significant number of mutations, perhaps double the number of mutations that we have seen in the Delta variant," Secretary Sajid Javid said.

"And that would suggest that it may well be more transmissible and the current vaccines that we have may well be less effective."

He added that more studies would need to be done into the variant to determine just how bad it is.

Imperial College London virologist Dr Tom Peacock was one of the first people to raise the alarm about the B.1.1.529 strain and he shared his findings on a genome-sharing website.

He said the 'incredibly high amount of spike mutations suggest this could be of real concern'.

Health authorities have also detected the strain in Hong Kong, which has sparked even more concern that it might have already left Africa.

Featured Image Credit: Alamy

Topics: covid, EU, travel, UK