Travel

DOUBLE jabbed arrivals from the US and the EU can now enter the UK without having to quarantine.

The new rules, enforced from 4am today, have been eased in England and Scotland after families were left separated by the Covid restrictions.

Under the new rules, people fully jabbed with a vaccine approved by the US or the EU can travel from any country on the UK amber list without having to self-isolate at home for 10 days.

They still need to do a pre-departure test and take another test on day two after arriving and anyone not fully vaccinated will still have to quarantine on arrival.

It comes as:

  • Up to 17 countries are expected to be added to the green list next week, including Germany and Poland
  • The US is unlikely to lift the UK travel ban by the end of summer
  • Spain could be added onto a amber watchlist along with Greece and Italy
  • Would-be holidaymakers are urged to check their travel insurance NOW to make sure they're covered
  • Rip-off Covid testing firms to be booted off gov list, making holidays cheaper

Families led the emotional scenes at Heathrow Airport this morning as many of them were reunited after more than a year of restrictions.

"We're feeling very excited, almost overexcited," said Michael Blake, 71, as he waited with wife Sue to see their son Eliot and 8-year-old grandson for the first time in 18 months.

"It's been such a big chunk of (our grandson's) life that he hasn't seen any grandparents."

Separate rules will continue to apply for those arriving from France which remains on the amber-plus list due to the government's concern over the "persistent presence" of the Beta variant, which is believed to be more resistant to vaccines.

Meanwhile, the US border remains closed to UK travellers, and has done since March 2020, despite hopes it could be lifted by the summer.

A new "amber watchlist" is also being considered by the government which could include Spain, Greece and Italy.

Any country on the new amber list could quickly be moved to the red list – which bans all non-essential travel.

However, Tory backbenchers have blasted the government’s “inexplicably complicated” plans to introduce the list over fears they could ruin summer holidays.  



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