HOLIDAY hotspot Portugal is on the “cusp” of being put on to Britain’s green list — meaning quarantine-free travel.

Boris Johnson will reveal on Friday which select few countries will be put on the list, to apply from May 17.

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And airlines are “ready and waiting” to fly Brits off to their favourite destinations as the EU is set to throw open its borders within weeks.

A No10 insider said Portugal would go green “soonish” even if it missed out later this week.

Other favoured destinations like France, Spain and Italy are expected to be added to the list in time for summer holidays.

But yesterday, the PM said he would be as “cautious as we can” while reopening.

He said: “We do want to do some opening up on May 17, but I don’t think the people of this country want to see an influx of disease from anywhere else.

“I certainly don’t and we have to be very, very tough, and we have got to be as cautious as we can, while we continue to open up.”

 

Green countries will have to have similar Covid rates to Britain, no new variants and testing sequencing to spot new strains.

They will also need to have vaccinated around 40 per cent of their population.

The EU said yesterday Brits will be allowed to enter the continent “without any impediments” like quarantine. Eurocrats want it signed off for May 17.

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said: “It’s time to revive the EU tourism industry and for cross-border friendships to rekindle safely.”

Brits will have to provide proof of vaccination, antibodies from infection within the past six months or a negative test.

• THE Oktoberfest beer festival in Munich has been cancelled for the second year amid fears over Covid.

 

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