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More than a quarter of Brits would travel abroad knowing they had Covid

Of those surveyed, 28 per cent said they would not let a postitive Covid test stop them from jetting off on holiday

Amelia Neath
Friday 09 August 2024 15:04 BST
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Research has found that 28 per cent of UK adults would travel after testing positive for the virus if they felt well enough to
Research has found that 28 per cent of UK adults would travel after testing positive for the virus if they felt well enough to (Getty Images)

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A few years ago many holidaymakers were forced to cancel their plans to take a trip abroad after the country was plunged into a pandemic that saw severe restrictions on international travel.

Now, research has found that more than one in four British adults say they would still travel abroad even if they tested positive for Covid-19 and felt well enough to go.

With very few regulations surrounding Covid still in place across the world, research from Confused.com shows how significantly attitudes have changed towards being out in public with the illness, even to the point that many would travel knowing they have contracted it.

More than one in four (28 per cent) of the UK adults surveyed admitted that they would travel abroad if they had Covid and felt well, while one in seven (13 per cent) said they would still take a long-awaited trip overseas even if they had the viru and felt unwell.

The research highlights the stark attitude changes to the virus over the years since the pandemic.

On Thursday, Noah Lyles raced in the men’s 200m final and won the bronze medal before revealing he had competed with Covid. The Team USA athlete, who won gold in the men’s 100m final on Sunday evening said he had tested positive on Tuesday but decided to enter Thursday night’s race.

Hours after winning silver in the men’s 100m breaststroke, Team GB’s Adam Peaty also tested positive for Covid, having struggled with a sore throat, before his symptoms continued to get worse and he missed out on other heats.

Around one in 10 of those surveyed by Confused.com said they had been forced to cancel a trip due to Covid since 2020, with a further 10 per cent having to rearrange a holiday. In addition, only 28 per cent of the Brits in the research claimed they would wear a mask on transport if they knew they had the illness.

For more travel news and advice, listen to Simon Calder’s podcast

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