Vaccination Update
As at 2nd November, a total of 95,756,585 doses of a coronavirus vaccine had been administered in the UK, with 50,025,020 people receiving a first dose (87% of the population aged 12 and over) and 45,731,565 people receiving both doses (79.5%).
Booster jabs are available on the NHS for people most at risk from COVID-19 who have had a 2nd dose of a vaccine at least 6 months ago. Those eligible include people aged 50 and over, people who live and work in care homes, frontline health and social care workers and people aged 16 and over with certain health conditions or are the main carer for someone at high risk from COVID-19 – or live with someone likely to get certain infections.
As at 2nd November, a booster jab had been administered to 8,356,172 people (14.5% of the population aged 12 and over). If you are eligible and wish to arrange for a booster jab, further details on how to do so can be found on the NHS website here.
Any adults – or children aged 12 and over – who have not yet made an appointment for a coronavirus vaccine but are wishing to do so, can find more information here.
International Travel Update
From Monday 1st November, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Haiti, Panama, Peru and Venezuela were removed from the red list with the consequence that there are no countries or territories currently on the red list.
The government keep the red list under constant review and countries and territories can be added to it at any time.
As from 1st November, people who qualify as fully vaccinated under the rules, must, before travelling to England, book and pay for a COVID-19 test (lateral flow or a PCR test) to be taken before the end of day 2 in England and complete a passenger locator form (which must include the COVID-19 test booking reference number} in the 48 hours before they arrive in England. Full details of the rules (including a link to the guidance on travelling abroad from England) can be found here.
Travel to the USA
A reminder that the USA has said it will reopen its borders to fully vaccinated travellers from 33 countries on 8th November.
Under new rules announced by the White House, vaccinated people who have had a negative test in the 72 hours before travelling will be allowed to enter.
The new rules will apply to Schengen countries – a group of 26 European nations – as well as the UK, Brazil, China, India, Iran, Ireland, and South Africa. It was also confirmed that travellers will not be required to go into quarantine upon entering the country.
NHS COVID PASS
For the latest government guidance on how to get the NHS COVID Pass and demonstrate your coronavirus (COVID-19) status when travelling abroad and domestically at events and venues in England please see here: – NHS COVID Pass – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)