UK govt has announced that from 11 February 2022, there will be changes to the COVID-19 testing requirements for England
By Eugene Onyeji
The UK Government has announced that from 0400 on 11 February 2022, there will be changes to the COVID-19 pre-travel and post-arrival testing requirements for England, depending on whether travellers qualify as fully vaccinated.
Passengers entering England who are fully vaccinated will no longer be required to book a Day-2 arrivals test.
A red list of countries and territories is under constant review. Countries and territories may be added and travel restrictions imposed at short notice.
All travellers are reminded to check the requirements and complete a passenger locator form for the UK country they will arrive in.
Proof of recent COVID-19 infection does not alter the UK entry requirements. Approved COVID-19 vaccines and details on countries and territories with approved proof of vaccination for travel to England can be found on GOV.UK.
Some exemptions apply for work or medical reasons, and the rules for children can differ depending on their age. The rules also differ for travel within the Common Travel Area which includes Ireland, England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. Travellers should ensure they check the requirements carefully.
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Following the announcement, British Airways’ Chairman and CEO Sean Doyle said:
“Today’s announcement provides a welcome boost to the travel industry and UK economy. Finally, fully-vaccinated customers can start to book with confidence whether they are doing business, going on holiday or reuniting with friends and family without the additional costly and time-consuming burden of testing. It sends a clear message to the rest of the world that global Britain is back in business.”
The statement further disclosed that passengers who are not fully vaccinated will continue to be required to take a pre-departure test as well as a Day-2 PCR test, however the requirement for a Day-8 PCR test is also being removed from February 11th.
All passengers will still be required to complete a Passenger Locator Form (PLF) prior to their arrival in England.