Vaccination Update
As at 10th October, a total of 94,376,101 doses of a coronavirus vaccine had been administered in the UK to people aged 12 and over, with 49,186,920 receiving a first dose and 45,189,181 receiving both doses.
International Travel
Following last week’s government review of the Covid rules on international travel, with effect from 11th October the number of countries on the Covid travel red list was cut to seven, with just Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Ecuador, Haiti and the Dominican Republic remaining on the red list. Government guidance on travel involving red list countries can be found here.
Eligible fully vaccinated passengers and eligible under-18s returning from countries and territories not on the red list can do so without needing to complete a pre-departure test (PDT), take a day 8 test after arrival or enter a 10-day self-isolation period. A passenger locator form still needs to be completed in the 48 hours before arriving in England and a day 2 post arrival PCR test must still be booked and paid for. However, from later in October, eligible fully vaccinated passengers from a country not on the red list will be able to replace their day 2 PCR test with a cheaper lateral flow test, proof of which in the form of a picture will be required. The government aims to have this in place for when people return from half-term breaks.
For further information on the rules now applying to non-red list countries, please see here.
The changes described only reflect requirements for arriving back in the UK so travellers should be aware that they may still face restrictions on entry to many destinations, especially those under 18 who are not vaccinated.
For advice about travelling abroad, including the latest information on coronavirus, safety and security, entry requirements and travel warnings, it is recommended that you refer to the guidance produced by the Foreign Office which can be found here.
