Quarantine-free Travel From Amber Countries Starting July 19

From July 19, fully-vaccinated travelers from amber list countries will no longer be required to self-isolate upon arrival in England, according to the transport secretary.

They will still be needed to do a pre-departure test three days before departure and a PCR test on day two of their arrival, but arrivals will no longer be obliged to undergo a test beyond day eight, according to Grant Shapps.

On 19th July, the government advises cautioning against travel to nations on the amber list will be deleted.

Even if travelers are completely vaccinated, there will be no adjustments to the criteria that apply to arrivals from countries on the red list. “An amber country may still become red,” Shapps added.

Children under the age of 18 will not be required to self-isolate or perform a day eight test after returning from countries on the Amber List. The day two test will no longer be required for children aged five to ten, and children aged four and younger will be excused from all testing.

Those participating in approved clinical trials in the United Kingdom will not be required to self-isolate while returning from an amber nation.

The standard NHS app will be accepted as proof of vaccination status, not the specialist NHS Covid app.

To avoid quarantine, passengers returning to England must include their vaccination status on their Passenger Locator Forms. Before boarding, transport operators and carriers will be responsible for verifying this verification.

According to Shapps, over 30 countries and territories now recognize vaccine certification as part of their admission criteria, recognizing a proof of vaccination letter or the NHS app as proof of vaccination. He stated that the government’s goal is to “raise that number to the point where the NHS app becomes the natural default.”

“In essence, this means that, for fully-vaccinated travelers, the requirements for green and amber list countries are the same,” Shapps said.

According to him, a ‘complete immunization’ means both doses of the vaccine have been received 14 days apart.

Health issues have been devolved to the UK nations. “Decision-making and execution may differ between UK administrations,” Shapps said.

“The change I’m making today would prioritize those vaccinated in the United Kingdom,” Shapps said, adding that he would update the House of Commons “in due course” on the government’s intentions to acknowledge vaccinated travelers from “important markets and holiday destinations” like the US and EU.

He also advised travelers to consult with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCDO) before traveling to a particular location.

Shapps stated in the House of Representatives: “We know that travel is important and many people have not been able to travel for the last year and a half.

“This is not just about holidays, eager as we are for time in the sun, but it is also about reunited families that have been apart throughout this pandemic.

“It’s about helping businesses to trade and grow and it’s about supporting aviation – a sector which hundreds of thousands of jobs rely on.”

Throughout the pandemic, he noted, the government has helped the aviation sector with £7 billion in funding.

“The only way for them to genuinely recuperate is for them to be able to fly and for travel to resume,” he conceded.

“As we begin to loosen limitations, travel will not be the same as it was previously – say in 2019,” Shapps insisted.

“People should continue to check Foreign Office travel advice, travel where possible outside of busy weekend times and, importantly, should expect their experience at the border will be different because of course longer waiting times will be necessitated by risks. Public health remains our key priority.”