Almost two years after the corona virus, known as COVID19 specifically, started to threat the globe, the UK is seeing positive changes and keeps in improving its situation due to the pandemic. Grant Shapps, UK transport secretary announced that the government has stopped in imposing self-quarantine to fully vaccinated individuals. UK is now also acknowledging individuals as fully vaccinated 14 days after they have received the final dose.
The changes in quarantine rules were applied to UK residents who got vaccine shots before they have travelled, to people who are returning to England from countries listed under amber list, from the UK and other European countries. On the other hand, non-residents and UK expatriates still need to do self-quarantine, even if they are already fully vaccinated.
Boris Johnson, UK prime minister has also said that business travelers and tourists who have gotten two shots of vaccination are also now allowed to travel to countries in the amber list without doing 10-day self-isolation upon returning to UK.
The old quarantine protocol of UK was named as “traffic light”, introduced in May 2021. The old system held traveling requirements and classified countries aside from UK under red, amber and green categories, all depending to the risk of COVID-19 per each country.
Changes in quarantine rules were implemented in July 19, 2021, includes removal of other restrictions for the coronavirus such as social distancing, as well as mask laws. The new health measures in UK are aiming to help popular destinations like Spain, Greece, Italy etc for the upcoming holiday season. UK government is also trying to achieve and promote safe and sustainable returns to international travel. UK has been a less strict in the past few months but they are still implementing tests as requirements to travelers who came from other countries under the amber list or green list, fully vaccinated or not. As a health requirement and to see if travelers are fit to fly in the midst of COVID-19 threat, rapid antigen test is needed to be taken 72 hours before departure and PCR test on the second day after travelers have returned while the eighth day test isn’t needed anymore. These major changes are applied to the following countries:
- Bulgaria
- Canada
- Croatia
- Cuba
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Hong Kong
- Italy
- Japan
- Luxemburg
- Mexico
- Monaco
- Russia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- US
Travelers who also want to return to England must do the following things:
- Take a COVID-19 test and show negative result.
- Book their own day 2 test upon arrival.
- Submit a passenger locator form within 48 hours before arriving in the UK. The form is needed to be shown upon checking in to travel or boarding the plane, train or ferry in UK.
Scheduling your own corona virus test in an unfamiliar or busy city may be a hassle, some may even want to do it privately and so, it is perfect to go to Harley Medic International which is a government-approved and trusted test provide who offers testing for travelers. Harley Medic International has multiple locations all over the UK to reach every traveler as possible.
To know more about the differences of day 2 and 8 test, and other UK quarantine rule changes, you can read the infographic from Harley Medic International.
