The UK government is considering plans to allow those who have received both Covid-19 vaccines to avoid self-isolation requirements when arriving in the UK from an “amber” list country.
Under the new plans, travellers arriving from “amber” destinations would no longer be forced to quarantine for 10 days but instead required to arrive in the UK with proof of a negative PCR test, taken up to 72 hours before departure. This is the same current requirement for those arriving from “green” destinations.
Confirmation of this new regime is expected to be announced on Thursday as part of the Department for Transports review of international travel and the traffic light system. There is also speculation that the new procedure could come into effect from August.
While this is great news for the travel industry, travellers must continue to follow the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s (FCDO) advice on countries it is safe to travel to, as just because a destination is categorised as “amber”, doesn’t mean the FCDO recommend visiting the country. Most travel insurers also do not cover Brits to visit countries the FCDO advises against travelling to, therefore anyone who travels against the FCDO’s guidance risks voiding their travel insurance policy and not being covered for any claims submitted.
Additionally, it is important to remember that while two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine offer increased protection against the virus, you can still catch and test positive for Covid-19. Therefore, we do advise holidaymakers to continue to look for a policy that offers additional accommodation and transportation expenses, just in case they fail their pre-departure test and are legally required to isolate abroad. Beware, this cover is not available as standard, so please check the policy you are buying carefully to ensure that you have the protection you require.
For more guidance on booking a trip to an “amber” destination, click here.
