Ministers are doing everything possible to make sure people can have a summer holiday this year, Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said.
He warned "people will have to be patient" amid the uncertainty of the pandemic, but the government "will bring more certainty when we can".
Amid warnings it is "too soon" to plan holidays, Mr Hancock said he had booked a break in Cornwall "months ago".
He also said Covid vaccine take-up has been much higher than expected so far.
Labour's shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth criticised ministers for not being clearer about plans for the summer.
He said he had yet to book a holiday because he was "in the same boat as everyone else".
"I just want to know what's happening, so ministers need to tell us," he told BBC Breakfast.
Meanwhile, Mr Hancock said 90% of people had accepted an offer of a jab - much higher than predictions about 75% would get the vaccine.
It comes after Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged two million people who have yet to accept their offer of a jab to "come forward" this week.
Mr Hancock said it was too early to know which coronavirus restrictions may still be in place over the summer, but that he understood people wanted to make plans.
He told BBC Breakfast "people are yearning for certainty over whether they can have a summer holiday" but said "pandemics are difficult times and there is a lot of uncertainty".
"So I am afraid that people will have to be patient before we can get that certainty," he added.
"We are doing everything that we possibly can to make sure that people can have a holiday this summer but the vaccine rollout is absolutely essential to that.
"We will set out more in more detail when we can, but at the moment unfortunately there is that uncertainty still."
The health secretary told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that, before summer holidays, the priority would be making sure people can go and see loved ones.
"It is too early to say when - and the prime minister will set out more details in the week beginning 22 February," he added.
'Don't book'
His comments came after both Mr Johnson and Transport Secretary Grant Shapps pleaded with people not to "go ahead and book holidays".
Mr Shapps said on Wednesday it was "too soon" to book a domestic holiday and that foreign breaks may only be possible once many more people have been vaccinated.
He added: "I simply don't know the answer to the question of where we'll be up to this summer. It's too early to give that information. The best advice to people is: do nothing at this stage."
Mr Johnson told a Downing Street briefing: "I understand why people want to make plans now but we're just going to have to be a little bit more patient."
The remarks prompted anger from senior Conservative MP Sir Charles Walker, who accused ministers of "ripping out" the goalposts on the timetable for lifting Covid restrictions.
People "need to have something to look forward to", he said.
One travel industry leader criticised Mr Shapps's plea for people to stop making summer plans as "puerile and nonsensical".
While Heathrow Airport's chief executive said getting back to normality was not just about people's holidays but also to "protect people's businesses and livelihood".
John Holland-Kaye said aviation businesses have gone for almost a full year with virtually no revenue and warned they may not be able to continue without slashing jobs.
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Under the current national restrictions, holidays are not permitted anywhere in the UK. International travel is restricted to essential purposes, such as for work, medical appointments, or education.
A new online portal allowing UK and Irish nationals and residents travelling from certain "red list" countries to book a place in hotel quarantine opens later on Thursday.
From Monday, arrivals from 33 nations deemed high-risk due to new virus variants must isolate for 10 days in managed facilities at a cost of at least £1,750.
All other arrivals must see out a 10-day quarantine at home, but will be required to book and pay for two additional private virus tests.
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiJmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jby51ay9uZXdzL3VrLTU2MDIyODU40gEqaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYmJjLmNvLnVrL25ld3MvYW1wL3VrLTU2MDIyODU4?oc=5
2021-02-11 09:16:00Z
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