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Don’t book non-refundable summer holidays, health chief tells Scots
Scots have been warned not to book non-refundable holidays next summer after a new report claimed that overseas travel this year was to blame for reigniting coronavirus in Scotland after it had all but been eliminated.
Professor Jason Leitch, the nation’s Clinical Director said new strains of the virus were introduced to the country following the first lockdown in the summer.
Referring to a new report into the virus in Scotland, Prof Leitch said between 17 July and 30 August there were 46 ‘imported events’, 28 from England, 13 from mainland Europe and four from Asia.
At a daily media briefing, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the report highlighted the role of travel in reigniting outbreaks of the virus after it had been supressed.
And she said it would be foolish to advise people to book holidays for next summer while the country was still trying to navigate its way through the virus.
She said there would be a review of travel to and from Scotland next Tuesday.
Prof Leitch went further than the First Minister, saying: "Don’t book a non-refundable holiday for next summer."
He said that while the rollout of the Covid-19 vaccines would lead to a ‘new-normal’, the timing is uncertain.
"I have said many times this is not a Scottish problem, it is a global problem, so where would you travel?" he said. "There is going to be all kinds of questions about what other countries have done about vaccination, about immunity, so I would hold back for now and if you are going to book something I would make sure it is refundable."
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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