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Travel Curb Eases, UK Shifts India from Red to Amber list
United Kingdom moves India from its ‘red’ to ‘amber list’. Now, India’s fully vaccinated passengers need not spend the compulsory 10-day quarantine at hotel, as the Britain’s traffic light system for international travel allow the people returning from amber list countries to take up 10-day home quarantine. This change has been announced by the Department for transport and it would be effective from August 8.
In his tweet, U.K. Transport Secretary posted, “The UAE, Qatar, India and Bahrain will be moved from the red list to the amber list. All changes come into effect Sun 8th August at 4 a.m.”
He continued, “While its right we continue our cautious approach, it’s great news to open more destinations for people wanting to connect with families, friends and businesses across the globe, all thanks to our successful domestic vaccination program.”
The decision has come as a relief for the Indian diaspora in the U.K., who had been demanding the easing of travel norms between India and Britain.
The legal rules for countries on the amber list hint that the passengers must take a COVID-19 test three days prior to their departure and reserve a slot in advance for two Covid tests that is to be taken upon arrival in England as well as complete a passenger locator form on arrival.
Landing in England, passengers must quarantine at home or in the place they have mentioned as their location for 10 days and take a COVID-19 test on or before day two and on or after day eight. Below 18 and those fully vaccinated in the U.K. are excused from the home quarantine, as well as those who have taken both the doses of COVID-19 vaccine in the European Union and U.S.
Covishield, the India-manufactured Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, is expected to be included under this exemption. The update of the travel list came alongside an announcement that the cost for solo travellers from destinations are on the red list staying at a quarantine hotel would go up from August 12, from GBP 1,750 to GBP 2,285.
UK government believes that move would “better reflect the increased costs involved”. On the other hand, seven countries are moving to the green list – Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Slovakia, Latvia, Romania and Norway – and France has been moved off the “amber watchlist”.
For countries on the green list, people would not have to quarantine when returning from these nations, irrespective of their vaccination status. But, they will have to take a pre-departure test and another one two days after arrival. Meanwhile, four countries are put on the red list: Mexico, Georgia, La Reunion and Mayotte.
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