According to government leaks, the recent additions to the red list could be scrapped as early as this week.

In recent days, both Boris Johnson and Sajid Javid have suggested that the travel restrictions put in place to protect the UK from the omicron variant are redundant now that community transmission is taking place.

Mr Javid yesterday said he wants the rules removed “quickly”, adding: “Given that we already know that the omicron variant is fast becoming the dominant variant in our capital city, spreading rapidly around the country, the justification for having the rules is minimised.”

A total of 11 African nations were put on the UK’s formerly empty red list between 25 November and 3 December, including popular winter holiday spot South Africa and Nigeria, with returning travellers given short notice that they would have to pay thousands for hotel quarantine in the UK.

In other news, passengers in Las Vegas were furious after they were told that the pre-departure tests they had taken ahead of travel were not the right kind.

Several passengers were forced to pay for extended accommodation and new tests before they could fly back to the UK.

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