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| Covid: Minister defends VIP fans travelling to Wembley | Covid: Minister defends VIP fans travelling to Wembley |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| If VIP football fans and officials were allowed to visit England for the Euro 2020 final without quarantining they would still face restrictions, media minister John Whittingdale has said. | |
| Reports suggest up to 2,500 people will be allowed to come from abroad for the matches, but Mr Whittingdale said they would not be able to "travel around". | |
| He said discussions with European football's governing body were ongoing. | |
| Critics argue the move could impact public health. | |
| Currently arrivals to the UK from most countries must quarantine for 10 days with an update on the UK's travel list is expected on Thursday. | |
| Meanwhile, a Downing Street briefing will be led by vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi on Wednesday afternoon. | Meanwhile, a Downing Street briefing will be led by vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi on Wednesday afternoon. |
| Will double vaccinated people be able to travel freely? | Will double vaccinated people be able to travel freely? |
| Aim for double-jabbed arrivals to avoid quarantine | Aim for double-jabbed arrivals to avoid quarantine |
| Mr Whittingdale also defended plans for 60,000 spectators to attend matches, part of the next stage of the government's test programme for events, and said talks were ongoing with Uefa about what restrictions might be in place. | Mr Whittingdale also defended plans for 60,000 spectators to attend matches, part of the next stage of the government's test programme for events, and said talks were ongoing with Uefa about what restrictions might be in place. |
| He said: "We are still talking to Uefa about the exact restrictions but if people are allowed in to attend the match then they won't necessarily be allowed to just travel round the country they will be coming in for a specific purpose." | He said: "We are still talking to Uefa about the exact restrictions but if people are allowed in to attend the match then they won't necessarily be allowed to just travel round the country they will be coming in for a specific purpose." |
| He added that players and staff from other teams had been travelling for matches and had been "subject to strict restrictions in terms of coming to the country staying in a designated place, going to the match and then going out again". | He added that players and staff from other teams had been travelling for matches and had been "subject to strict restrictions in terms of coming to the country staying in a designated place, going to the match and then going out again". |
| Fans attending matches at Wembley need to follow a number of strict entry requirements, including having a negative Covid-19 test or proof of full vaccination, which means two vaccine doses, 14 days before the fixture they are attending. | Fans attending matches at Wembley need to follow a number of strict entry requirements, including having a negative Covid-19 test or proof of full vaccination, which means two vaccine doses, 14 days before the fixture they are attending. |
| But former Conservative minister David Davis told the Daily Telegraph the allowing people to travel from abroad for the matches without quarantining was "morally inconsistent" with the stance taken towards UK citizens. | But former Conservative minister David Davis told the Daily Telegraph the allowing people to travel from abroad for the matches without quarantining was "morally inconsistent" with the stance taken towards UK citizens. |
| Labour's shadow defence secretary John Healey said any agreement to allow VIPs to attend the final without the need to quarantine would be wrong, adding it would be "one rule for important people ... and one rule for the rest". | Labour's shadow defence secretary John Healey said any agreement to allow VIPs to attend the final without the need to quarantine would be wrong, adding it would be "one rule for important people ... and one rule for the rest". |
| Mr Whittingdale said a decision on restrictions at Euro 2020 would be made with advice from Public Health England and the government would only reach an agreement "if we are absolutely confident that it doesn't put the public health at risk". | Mr Whittingdale said a decision on restrictions at Euro 2020 would be made with advice from Public Health England and the government would only reach an agreement "if we are absolutely confident that it doesn't put the public health at risk". |
| He said that if the events were successful it could "mean we can relax restrictions across the economy". | He said that if the events were successful it could "mean we can relax restrictions across the economy". |
| An analysis on a number of test events that have been taking place is to be published soon. | An analysis on a number of test events that have been taking place is to be published soon. |
| For group fixtures at Euro 2020 Wembley's capacity has been reduced to 22,500 but that is set to be expanded to 45,000 for the two knockout games before the semi-finals. | For group fixtures at Euro 2020 Wembley's capacity has been reduced to 22,500 but that is set to be expanded to 45,000 for the two knockout games before the semi-finals. |
| Ministers had pushed back plans to lift restrictions in England from 21 June to 19 July due to the increase in cases, driven by the Delta variant, leading to calls for the final to be moved from Wembley. | Ministers had pushed back plans to lift restrictions in England from 21 June to 19 July due to the increase in cases, driven by the Delta variant, leading to calls for the final to be moved from Wembley. |
| There was speculation the semi-finals and final could be moved to Budapest if VIPs were not given an exemption to England's strict quarantine rules. | There was speculation the semi-finals and final could be moved to Budapest if VIPs were not given an exemption to England's strict quarantine rules. |
| Dr David Nabarro, World Health Organization special envoy on Covid-19, told Sky News that from a public health perspective "there are real questions to be asked" about the plans because of the rising number of UK cases but he was "also thinking that it's time for us all to start to work out how we're going to get on with our lives". | Dr David Nabarro, World Health Organization special envoy on Covid-19, told Sky News that from a public health perspective "there are real questions to be asked" about the plans because of the rising number of UK cases but he was "also thinking that it's time for us all to start to work out how we're going to get on with our lives". |
| But he said people should only be travelling abroad for "absolutely essential" reasons, saying "it's not yet the time for unrestricted travel to start". | But he said people should only be travelling abroad for "absolutely essential" reasons, saying "it's not yet the time for unrestricted travel to start". |
| Stephen Reicher, professor of psychology at the University of St Andrews told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the major problem with football was not people watching in the stadium but those at home not following restrictions. | Stephen Reicher, professor of psychology at the University of St Andrews told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the major problem with football was not people watching in the stadium but those at home not following restrictions. |
| "I saw data from Scotland yesterday showing that whereas two or three weeks ago the ratio of males and females, men and women, who get infections was roughly the same, now it is about three times higher for younger men and the obvious explanation for that is people meeting up at home, forgetting restrictions and infecting each other," he said. | "I saw data from Scotland yesterday showing that whereas two or three weeks ago the ratio of males and females, men and women, who get infections was roughly the same, now it is about three times higher for younger men and the obvious explanation for that is people meeting up at home, forgetting restrictions and infecting each other," he said. |
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