Red list restrictions on 11 African countries are set to be scrapped with the move expected to be approved as soon as this week, according to reports.

Following the emergence of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 in Southern Africa earlier this month, the UK dashed to “protect its borders” downgrading 11 countries to its red-list.

Transport secretary Grant Shapps is at the helm of the new plans and is said to have already convinced a number of ministers to change course.

The suggestion now is that the mandatory hotel stay could be replaced with daily testing for fully-vaccinated arrivals.

Health secretary Sajid Javid said: “It is just not possible to give a guarantee for any particular country that there will not potentially be any future measures,”

“Very soon, in the days and weeks that lie ahead, if, as I think is likely, we see many more infections and this variant becomes the dominant variant, there will be less need to have any kind of travel restrictions at all.”

Last week, Heathrow airport lobbied the government to allow UK nationals from red list countries to isolate at home to avoid Christmas disaster.

John Holland-Kaye, Heathrow chief executive, said: “By allowing Brits to isolate at home, ministers can make sure they are reunited with their loved ones this Christmas.”