The traffic light travel system for international travel has been scrapped while fully vaccinated travellers will no longer have to take a PCR test ahead of their return to England.
The UK Government’s international traffic light system – which currently sees countries arranged into red, amber, and green lists according to their risk level – has been axed with a two-tier system taking its place.
The new travel system will instead categorise countries as go or no-go destinations with the amber and green lists merging into one “low-risk” category. There is a significant reduction in the number of countries on the no-go list compared to the red list.
Go here to get all the latest breaking news, reaction, and analysis on the announcement.
Until now even arrivals from green list countries have had to take a pre-departure test as well as a PCR test on or before day two of their arrival back in the UK but did not need to quarantine in the event of a negative test result.
Day two PCR tests will initially remain in place but are to be replaced with a lateral flow test instead within weeks.
UK Government transport secretary Grant Shapps announced the news on social media on Friday afternoon bringing to an end days of speculation about the changes.
Shortly after the announcement was made Welsh Government health and social services minister Eluned Morgan said: “We will carefully consider the UK Government’s proposed changes to the border health measures, which include the removal of pre-departure testing and introducing lateral flow tests instead of PCR tests on day two of people’s return to the UK.
“Our considerations will be underpinned by robust evidence and our main focus will continue to be on reducing the risk to public health in Wales.
“These changes are not without risk – they weaken the line of defence on importing infection and increase opportunities for new infections and new variants to enter the UK and Wales.
“Vaccines can help reduce this risk but only if they are effective against new and emerging variants of concern and high-risk variants under investigation.”
While it has the power to set its own rules so far the Welsh Government has followed the UK rules to avoid confusion and Baroness Morgan reiterated that Welsh Government advice "continues to be that people should only travel abroad for essential reasons".
She added: "As Wales shares an open border with England, and most travellers arriving in Wales enter through ports outside Wales, it is not effective to have separate border health policy arrangements for Wales."
Here is what it all means in practice.
When will the new rules come into play?
From October 4 fully vaccinated people will no longer need a pre-departure test before arrival into England from a non-red country while from later in October the day two PCR test will be replaced with a lateral flow test. On the same date a single red list will come into force with what Mr Shapps describes as "simplified measures for the rest of the world". Eight countries – Kenya, Oman, Turkey, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Egypt – will come off the red list at 4am on Wednesday, September 22.
Do you need a Covid test to travel?
For fully-vaccinated people from October 4:
- No need to self-isolate unless arriving in the UK from a red/”no-go” country
- No pre-departure test before travelling to the UK
- Day two PCR test to remain in place initially but will later be replaced with a lateral flow test
For people without both vaccinations:
- Required to enter a period of self-isolation upon returning to the UK from any country
- Pre-departure test still required
- Day two and day eight PCR tests still required
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