Starting Monday 11th October, the UK Red List will be reduced to just 7 high-risk countries and territories. The inbound vaccinated arrivals policy has also been extended to a further 37 destinations.
The UK so far withdrew its advice against all but essential travel for 47 countries and territories, as per the latest update coming in October 2021 as it continued to ease its coronavirus travel policy in the fight against Covid19 virus around the world.
The shift in this UK inbound and outbound travel policy will make it faciliate people to travel to destinations such as Algeria, Malaysia and Senegal, as many travel insurance companies deny overage for places where the government advises against travel, the foreign ministry said.
UK RED List International Travel Update
RED list reduced to 7 destinations (Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Haiti, Panama, Peru and Venezuela) with 47 countries and territories removed from 4am Monday 11 October
Government extends inbound vaccinated arrivals system to a further 37 countries and territories across the globe including India, South Africa and Turkey, meaning eligible vaccinated passengers arriving from rest of world countries only need to take a day 2 test in England
Government confirms passengers will be able to send a picture of their lateral flow test as a minimum requirement to verify test result accuracy and keep prices down once Day 2 tests switch to lateral flow later this month, followed by a free PCR if positive
The UK recently replaced the so-called zone lists system with a single red list and lowered testing requirements for fully vaccinated travellers.
The government continues to advise against all travel except essential travel for numerous countries and territories on the red list, including Brazil, Mexico, South Africa and Thailand.
Starting Monday 11th October, the Red List will be reduced to just 7 high-risk countries and territories
The inbound vaccinated arrivals policy has also been extended to a further 37 destinations
The government has today (7 October 2021) confirmed that from 4am Monday 11 October, 47 countries and territories will be removed from its red list, making it easier for more people to travel abroad to a larger number of countries and territories. Passengers returning to England from these destinations will no longer be required to enter hotel quarantine.
The continued progress on vaccination both at home and around the world means government can confidently reduce the size of the red list to focus on countries which pose the highest risk, informed by UK Health Security Agency’s (UKHSA) assessment.
Eligible fully vaccinated passengers and eligible under 18s returning from countries and territories not on the red list, can do so with just a day 2 test.
Other passengers who are not fully vaccinated with an authorised vaccine returning from a non-red destination must still take a pre-departure test, a day 2 and day 8 test and complete 10 days self-isolation (with the option of Test to Release on day 5).
Also announced today, from 4am Monday 11 October, eligible travellers vaccinated in over 37 new countries and territories including Brazil, Ghana, Hong Kong, India, Pakistan, South Africa and Turkey, will also be treated the same as returning fully vaccinated UK residents, so long as they have not visited a red list country or territory in the 10 days before arriving in England
“We strike the right balance between protecting people, which remains our priority, and giving them the freedom to take personal responsibility while supporting the travel industry,” said British Foreign Secretary Mrs Liz Truss.
The pandemic has exposed the stark inequalities in our society and tackling these is a key part of UKHSA’s mission. Throughout its work, UKHSA will seek to understand and influence the wide range of factors that determine health outcomes to help reduce the impacts on the most disadvantaged in our society.
Health and Social Care Secretary, Sajid Javid, said:
The UK Health Security Agency will take on a critical role in protecting the public and ensuring we are prepared for health threats and future pandemics.
Led by Dr Jenny Harries, the team at UKHSA will help ensure we keep COVID-19 under control – including through world-leading analysis and genomic testing for variants, support in the development of new vaccines, and to build on the UK’s existing public health expertise to protect us from new threats.
