Fully Vaccinated UK Travelers Ought To Omit Quarantine On Return Under New Plans
British travellers who have had two Covid vaccines ought to be allowed quarantine-free entry into England under plans being considered via ministers.
As the government grapples with permitting more trips overseas whilst making an attempt to forestall the importation of new variants, adjustments are being considered to the traffic light system under which locations are graded in accordance to their Covid case and jab rate, deciding whether and how people coming from them need to isolate.
Only a handful of countries feature on the isolation-free green list, with 50 territories on the red list – which means arrivals should continue to be in a quarantine hotel for 14 days.
The amber list, which features the large majority of countries and to which Portugal was lately added, has prompted much extra confusion. Official government recommendation urges people not to travel to these places, but there are no laws in place to stop people arriving from them and quarantining at home for up to 10 days, or using the test-to-release system to leave the house from day five.
Currently, travelers leaving the UK are allowed to use the NHS app to show their vaccine status and reduce quarantine in some countries.
But in a move that will be viewed as further encouraging people to get both jabs, the ministers are considering loosening travel restrictions for the amber list to let anyone who has had two Covid vaccines escape quarantine. Those who have not been fully inoculated would still face the same restrictions presently in force for amber list countries.