Boris Johnson ‘delighted’ as US lifts ban on travellers from Britain

Fully vaccinated Britons will be able to visit the US for the first time in 18 months from early November.

The White House announced on Monday that it was lifting its blanket ban on travellers from the UK and EU, imposed by Donald Trump at the start of the Covid pandemic.

However, there was uncertainty on Monday night over whether unvaccinated children would be able to accompany their parents on US trips. US sources indicated there would be very limited exemptions, which might include children, but officials refused to confirm whether they would be included.

The announcement came after The Telegraph revealed that Boris Johnson would press Joe Biden, the US president, to change Covid travel rules and let Britons fly to the United States when they meet in the White House for the first time on Tuesday.

Mr Johnson said he was "delighted" that Mr Biden was reinstating transatlantic travel, saying: "It's a fantastic boost for business and trade and great that family and friends on both sides of the pond can be reunited once again."

Speaking to reporters on Sunday he had appeared to be out of the loop on developments in Washington, saying he thought there would not be a change in the travel rules this week.

The announcement is a major boost for airlines such as British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, who have blamed the travel ban for limiting the recovery of passenger numbers.

Around 3.8 million British nationals visited the US every year prior to the pandemic, and Virgin on Monday night reported a 91 per cent increase in bookings in the hour following the announcement.

The White House said all foreign visitors from the 33 countries freed from the ban including the UK, China, India and Brazil would need to demonstrate proof of vaccination as well as proof of a negative test within the previous three days. There will be no quarantine on arrival.

The five million adult Britons who are currently not fully jabbed will, however, remain banned because prior proof of vaccination will be required.

The AstraZeneca jab, widely deployed in the UK, has yet to be recognised by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the White House said it would defer to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for a decision.

However, the Prime Minister's official spokesman said it was expected that the vaccine would be approved.

UK government sources also said they expected children under 18 who had not been jabbed to be allowed to travel with their families, but there was no confirmation from the US that this would be the case.

UK children aged 12 to 17 are eligible for the jab, and most 12 to 15-year-olds will be offered Covid vaccinations by half term. This means they could be treated like adults by the US and therefore required to be vaccinated before being allowed entry.

The UK Government is, however, treating all children as if they were fully vaccinated adults irrespective of whether they have been jabbed or not. This means they will be exempt from quarantine or PCR tests under the UK's new foreign travel regime, unlike unvaccinated adults.

It emerged on Monday that Europe could also take a harder line on children as it prepares for the opening of the winter skiing season. Children aged over 12 could have to have a negative Covid test or prove they are fully vaccinated in order to go on a skiing holiday at leading European resorts.

Austria on Monday became the first Alpine state to set out its skiing rules for the winter season, with children over 12 treated as if they were adults.

This means they will have to show a negative PCR test from within 72 hours, a lateral flow test from within 24 hours or documents demonstrating a previous Covid infection or vaccination certificate before they can get into a cable car, stay at a hotel or visit other hospitality.

Other ski nations including Italy and France are expected to follow the Austrian lead as the EU has forged ahead of the UK in vaccinating children aged 12 to 17. Germany now requires any travellers aged over 12 to provide proof of vaccination or of recovery or a negative Covid test prior to arrival.

Paul Charles, the chief executive of travel consultancy The PC Agency, said treating children as adults was "discriminatory" and "dangerous as it threatens the growth in family holidays".

He added: "We need to see international coordination in treating children in the same way as England where children are automatically treated as vaccinated."

The European stance puts UK children at a disadvantage as the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has recommended they should only have one dose of the Pfizer jab. Austria will only accept proof of vaccination if people have two doses of all but the Johnson & Johnson jab.