Javid: Govt 'working on' child travel document

At a press conference on Wednesday (20 October), Sajid Javid was asked about children who had contracted Covid and recovered before the offer of a vaccine and what the government would do to provide them with proof of recovery so they can travel during half-term and beyond.

He replied: “In many countries where they have a vaccination rule for entry… they would treat anyone under 16 as being fully vaccinated, as the UK does.

“That doesn’t apply to every single country, so we are working on a plan that would give some proof of antibodies, but it will be up to the country the child is travelling to to decide to accept that.”

Javid did not give a commitment that the scheme would be in place for half-term.

He spoke as the UK recorded 49,000 new Covid cases. The number is above 40,000 for the eighth consecutive day, although deaths at 179 in the last 24 hours remain far lower than at the peak of the pandemic.