Expats and holidaymakers have been warned not to consider planning travel outside the UK any time soon.
Transport Minister Grant Shapps announced he would not book a summer holiday or trip overseas due to the current uncertainty over coronavirus.
The government has asked anyone planning to leave the country to exercise caution – explaining that even if social distancing rules are eased or lifted, travel may still not be possible.
The current lockdown is scheduled to last to the end of the first week in May, but the timescale is a review date and not fixed in stone.
And not only do restrictions need easing or lifting in the UK, but governments in destination countries also must allow expats or tourists in.
Travel is not an essential trip
The news is a shock for the hospitality industry already reeling as the country enters a fourth week of lockdown.
Hotels, restaurants, event promoters and thousands of companies and workers who rely on tourism are likely to see their high-earning months written off this year.
Airlines are also grounded, furloughing thousands of jobs and losing huge amounts of revenue.
Shapps reiterated that going on holiday would not be considered essential travel – which includes relocating for a new job or retiring overseas.
Meanwhile, the latest coronavirus statistics make grim reading.
Death toll is grim reading
The latest figures for the 24 hours up to 5pm on Thursday night show another 847 people dies from coronavirus, taking the UK total to 14,576.
The data only includes deaths in hospitals, with community and care home figures not expected until next week.
Globally, the death toll has reached 152,000 with nearly 2.22 million cases of coronavirus reported.
America has posted 1,298 deaths and almost 12,500 new cases, while the listing in China has been revised to 4,632 with an adjustment of 1,290 deaths, coincidental with US President Donald Trump’s assertion that the country’s coronavirus data was underreported.
Elsewhere, France added 761 deaths, Spain 163 and Italy 575.
Countries with most coronavirus deaths
| Country | Total cases | New cases | Total deaths | New deaths | |||
| USA | 689,938 | 12,368 | 35,915 | 1,298 | |||
| Spain | 188,068 | 3,120 | 19,478 | 163 | |||
| Italy | 172,434 | 3,493 | 22,745 | 575 | |||
| France | 147,969 | 1,909 | 18,681 | 761 | |||
| Germany | 138,497 | 799 | 4,193 | 141 | |||
| UK | 108,692 | 5,599 | 14,576 | 847 | |||
| China | 82,692 | 351 | 4,632 | 1,290 | |||
| Iran | 79,494 | 1,499 | 4,958 | 89 | |||
| Turkey | 78,546 | 4,353 | 1,769 | 126 | |||
| Belgium | 36,138 | 1,329 | 5,163 | 306 | |||
| World | 2,217,887 | 55,546 | 151,935 | 6,464 | |||
Source: Worldometers.com
