Big changes to coronavirus restrictions were announced today, including an end to free testing and the legal requirement to isolate after a positive test being scrapped.
Boris Johnson addressed the Commons today where he outlined changes to rules in England as part of the ‘Living with Covid’ plan – but there was one area where he didn’t have much to say.
This is partly as many of the restrictions regarding international travel, such as pre-departure and day two Covid tests for vaccinated travellers, have already been removed.
Things have changed a lot since summer last year, when many popular destinations such as Turkey, Pakistan and Mexico were on the red list and travel to them was effectively banned unless people wanted to spend two weeks in a quarantine hotel.
Those who have not been fully vaccinated still face some hurdles to coming back to England, but overall the process of going on holiday is much simpler, with the three-tier ‘traffic light’ system scrapped and no countries currently classed as red.
Mr Johnson said from April the use of voluntarily Covid passes will no longer be recommended, but he said that the NHS app ‘will continue to allow people to indicate their vaccination status for international travel’.
Here are some of the recently removed restrictions – and those that still remain.
Pre-departure tests scrapped for most
On January 5, the government announced that people travelling to the UK who are fully vaccinated would no longer need to show proof of a negative test before their journey.
This was a relief for many who feared getting trapped overseas, but there was still a financial hit because they had to pre-book a test to be taken when they arrived.
Those who are not classed as fully vaccinated still need to take a test before their journey, however.
Day 2 tests scrapped – but only for fully vaccinated
People arriving into the UK had to take a Covid test on their second full day in the country.
This had to be a PCR test originally and the rules then changed to allow it to be a lateral flow, though one arranged and recorded privately rather than one of the free NHS tests.
From February 11, those fully vaccinated no longer had to take a test after arriving.
But people who are not classed as fully vaccinated still have to take a day 2 PCR test.
Passenger locator form still needed
There is still a form to fill in to give the government details about travel history, contact details and vaccination status etc.
This has become more simplified, with the previous version of the form asking for addresses of where people would be staying as well as proof of Covid tests.
The government is understood to be considering whether to scrap the form entirely in time for the Easter holidays, with the previous relaxation of Covid rules coming before February half term.
Quarantine scrapped after return
Nobody arriving in England has to quarantine, even if they are not fully vaccinated.
The government said that unvaccinated people still have to take Covid tests, and ‘must self-isolate’ if the result is positive or unclear.
Rules from other countries
Travelling internationally also requires people to follow the laws of the place they are going to.
Many countries are also relaxing restrictions, but negative tests, proof of vaccination and quarantine are all possible requirements when taking a trip – even if things have relaxed in England.
Make sure to check the rules of the place you want to go before booking travel.
The general rule changes today
Boris Johnson set out his plan for ‘living with Covid’ today which removes the legal requirement to isolate after a positive test.
Those who do test positive will still be advised to stay at home for at least five days, but will not be obliged to do so by law under the plans subject to parliamentary approval.
Routine contact tracing will also end on Thursday, as will self-isolation payments and the legal obligation for individuals to tell their employers about their requirement to isolate.
Changes to statutory sick pay and employment support allowance designed to help people through the coronavirus pandemic will end on March 24.
People aged 75 and over, the immunosuppressed and those living in care homes will be offered another Covid-19 booster vaccine this spring under the plans.
Face masks will be optional. They will only be mandatory in a few places such as on London Underground and other means of transport in the capital. However, companies and individuals can still request they be worn (e.g. in theatres or local shops).
Mass testing in schools is expected to end at the beginning of April, while free lateral flow and PCR tests will also be scrapped from April 1 – although these will still be available for free to over-80s and those considered to be vulnerable.
We recapped the full rule changes here.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
from News – Metro https://ift.tt/miVlEDe
0 Comments