Hi my lovely readers!

With Covid restrictions easing here in the UK, the travel guidelines from the government have also changed a bit now since the beginning of October 2021.

Those that came into effect from May have been overhauled, which should make travelling to the UK and returning back home a little bit easier or perhaps less stressful.

Guidelines for Scotland, England, Northern Ireland and Wales vary, so be sure to look up the right once depending on where you’re travelling. The guidelines in this post apply to England.

Overall the traffic light system that used to be in place has been abolished. There are now rules for the fully vaccinated, not fully vaccinated and those coming back or travelling through countries on the red list. The new system is much easier to understand and follow.

Keep on reading for a brief overview of the new and updated UK Travel Restrictions And Quarantine Rules related to England.

GUIDELINES FOR THOSE THAT ARE FULLY VACCINATED

Before Entering England

If you’re coming back or travelling to England here are a few things you need to do before entering the country. Those are:

• Complete a passenger locator form in the 48 hours before you arrive
• Book and pay for a day 2 Covid test (lateral flow test or a PCR test)

As you can see there is no need to book, pay and take a Covid test before you get to England anymore, which is great. Not having to arrange a test before boarding a plane takes a lot of stress of your shoulder and of course saves you a lot of money as test can be really expensive.

After You Arrived in England

The Covid test needs to be taken once you arrive in England on or before day 2, with day 0 being your day of arrival.

If your test is negative you are good to go. However, if the test result is positive there are a few steps and things to consider.

If your lateral flow test result comes back positive, you will have to additionally take a PCR test to confirm the result. While you wait for the PCR test results, you will have to self-isolate. If the PCR test comes back negative, you are free to go and don’t have to continue isolation. However, if the result also comes back positive, you will have to isolate for 10 days, the day of when you took the PCR test being day 0.

Please remember that members of your household will also have to follow those rules if you or someone else in the household gets a positive PCR test result.

All countries have different guidelines to what vaccines are approved and which so called vaccine passports or certificates are accepted. Here is the link to the Approved COVID-19 vaccines and countries and territories with approved proof of vaccination for travelling to England to check if you qualify as being fully vaccinated.

GUIDELINES FOR THOSE THAT ARE NOT FULLY VACCINATED

Before Entering England

If you are not fully vaccinated you have to do the following before entering England:

• Must take a Covid test in the 3 days before travelling to England
• Complete a passenger locator form in the 48 hours before you arrive
• Book and pay for a day 2 and day 8 Covid PCR test

After You Arrived in England

On arrival in England you have to:

• Either quarantine at home for 10 days or in the place you’re staying at
• Take a Covid test on/before day 2 and on/after day 8

You have the chance to end quarantine early if you want to by paying for a private Covid test through the Test to Release scheme.

If your day 8 PCR test comes back positive you will have to self-isolate for 10 days from the day you took that second PCR test. This day will be counted as day 0 and members of your household might also have to self-isolate.

TRAVELLING FROM RED LIST COUNTRIES

You can only enter England from a red listed country if you’re British or Irish or someone living in the UK who has residency rights. No tourists from red listed countries can enter the UK.

Before Entering England

If you’re coming to England from a red listed country, here is what you need to know. Before entering England you have to:

• Complete a passenger locator form
• Take a Covid test
• Book a quarantine hotel package (including 2 Covid test)

After You Arrived in England

On arrival, you will be taken to the hotel and you will have to quarantine there for 10 days and take the two Covid tests. This hotel package will have to be paid for by you and anyone, no matter if you’re fully vaccinated or not will have to book and pay for the quarantine hotel package when travelling to England.

The good news for anyone travelling from former red list or potential Covid risk countries is that at this point in time (06.11.2021) there is no country on the England red list.

SUMMARY

• The traffic light system has been abolished
• There are now rules for those that are fully vaccinated and those that aren’t instead of a green, amber and red list country list
• The red list still exists though
• You can only enter England from a red listed country if you have a British or Irish nationality or have residency rights to live in the UK

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What do you think about these new travel guidelines? Would this encourage you to travel to England or take a holiday abroad?

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