Holidaymakers will need three jabs if they want to travel next year, says minister

Holidaymakers might need three Covid vaccinations to travel next summer, a minister has revealed.

The vaccine passport could evolve meaning Britons will require three jabs to jet off on holiday.

Care Minister Gillian Keegan said people who have had two doses are currently considered fully vaccinated but that this will “evolve over time”.

It means the definition of fully vaccinated could eventually refer to those who have had three doses as the booster rollout continues.

Asked if people would not be able to travel unless they have received their booster, Ms Keegan told Sky News: “I don’t think so.

“The advice at the moment is the double jabbed vaccination but of course that will evolve over time as the third dose comes in.

“It’s two doses for now but I’m sure the vaccine passport concept will evolve and there will be ‘if you’ve had your booster etc’ because it’s not probably going to be good for next summer.”

Care Minister Gillian Keegan (BBC Question Time)

Boris Johnson has repeated his call for everyone to get jabbed against Covid-19 and get their booster when called, insisting that vaccines will get the country through the winter and out of the pandemic.

However, under 50s are unlikely to receive their shot until “well after Christmas” according to an anonymous source of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

Under current coronavirus rules, those who have received two Covid vaccines are considered fully vaccinated and can avoid quarantine restrictions when travelling abroad.

The government said there are currently no plans to change the definition of ‘fully vaccinated.’

Health experts are now advising booster jabs to boost immunity levels as infection levels rise.

Despite this, the prime minister has resisted calls from health leaders for tighter restrictions.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said this week that new cases could reach 100,000 a day but Downing Street insisted there was still spare capacity in the NHS and that Plan B would only be activated if it came under “significant pressure”.

Plan B includes working-from-home guidance and the mandatory use of face masks.

Read More

Get the Covid vaccine now to give London a boost

Waiting time for Covid booster jabs could be cut to 5 months

Ministers ‘considering Covid Plan C with household mixing banned’