Govt confirms plan to lift quarantine for fully vaccinated arrivals

The government’s Covid Operations Committee made the decision this morning, with transport secretary Grant Shapps then tweeting: "We’re helping reunite people living in the US and European countries with their family and friends in the UK.

"From 2nd August at 4am, people from these countries will be able to come to England from an amber country without having to quarantine if they’re fully vaxxed."

The changes also apply to European Free Trade Association countries Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland plus European microstates Andorra, Monaco and Vatican City.

Currently, only those vaccinated against Covid-19 through the NHS are exempt from amber list quarantine rules.

Amber arrivals who have been fully vaccinated in the US and European countries will still be required to complete a pre-departure test before arrival, alongside a PCR test on or before day two and separate rules will continue to apply for those arriving from France.

The decision will boost inbound tourism, although the US is still advising its citizens not to travel to the UK on Covid grounds.

In addition, the easing of restrictions does not mean other countries will drop their ban on visitors from the UK.

The UK’s devolved administrations are free to make their own ruling on whether to adopt the same policy.

Sir Roger Gale, president of parliament’s all-party group on general aviation told the BBC: “For the travel industry and aviation industry that is on its knees it could not be better news. I just hope it is not too late for people to take advantage.”

Gale added: “Inbound tourism is incredibly important to the UK economy,” but admitted it “would be good if people could travel in both directions”.

Tim Alderslade, Airlines UK chief executive, said: “Exemptions for all fully vaccinated travellers is undoubtedly a positive move, offering a lifeline for thousands of businesses reliant on international inbound travel. It also begins to deliver the vaccine dividend for millions more people, for friends and family to reconnect, and for businesses to travel and trade overseas again.

“Ministers should combine this progress with moving more low-risk countries from the amber to green list next week to allow more people to travel safely and with confidence.

“This is still nowhere near the summer season passengers were hoping for, and we remain the only sector that is not allowed to trade on a pre-pandemic basis. But today is a positive step that should pave the way for a return to unrestricted travel in the future.”

Dale Keller, chief executive of BAR UK, said: “The recognition of fully vaccinated passengers from the EU and USA is the biggest step towards rebuilding the international travel sector since the limited lifting of restrictions on 17 May.”

Stewart Wingate, Gatwick airport chief executive, described the news as “welcome”, but warned changes “may have come too late for many to make bookings this summer”.

He added: “The cost of PCR tests remains prohibitive for many and should be replaced by cheaper, quicker lateral flow tests for those who have been double vaccinated, as many other countries already rely on.”

“The EU and US aviation sectors opened up earlier and are recovering significantly faster, which is why European travel was already at 50% of pre-pandemic levels in June compared to just 16% in the UK, despite our more advanced double vaccination rates.”

Shai Weiss, Virgin Atlantic chief executive, added: Recent proof-of-concept trial between Virgin Atlantic, Heathrow and British Airways has demonstrated our readiness to rapidly operationalise an expanded amber policy, with 99% of customers’ vaccine credentials authenticated at the point of departure.

“We now urge UK government to go further and move the US to the UK’s ‘green list’ and for the Biden administration to repeal the 212F proclamation for UK travellers."

Martin Chalk, acting general secretary of pilots’ union Balpa, said: “This welcome news may be too late in the summer to protect the tens of thousands of aviation jobs supported by the furlough scheme.

“We are halfway through the only profitable part of the year – summer – and UK travellers still face huge restrictions in the countries that will allow us in, preventing a real recovery.

“We are rapidly heading towards the cliff edge end of furlough in eight weeks’ time and as a result, Balpa is in negotiations with airlines to prevent further job losses.”