Fully vaccinated travellers from the US and much of Europe will not need to isolate when coming to England, Scotland and Wales, starting next week, UK officials said Wednesday – a move welcomed by Britain’s ailing travel industry.
The British government said people who have received both doses of a vaccine approved by the FDA in the US or by the European Medicines Agency, which regulates drugs for the European Union and several other countries, will be able to take pre and post-arrival coronavirus tests instead of self-isolating for 10 days after entering England.
“Our vaccination programme is building a wall of defence against this virus so we can safely enjoy our freedoms again, with 7 in 10 adults in the UK now double jabbed,” said UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid.
“We’ve taken great strides on our journey to reopen international travel and today is another important step forward. Whether you are a family reuniting for the first time since the start of the pandemic or a business benefiting from increased trade this is the progress we can all enjoy,” said UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps.
Heathrow Airport chief executive John Holland-Kaye said the government had made the “right decision.” British Airways also welcomed the move but urged the government to go further and ease restrictions on visitors from more countries.
Currently, India remains on the red list under the international traffic system, but a review of this status is expected by the middle of next week.
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