Travel between the UAE and the UK looks set to become smoother, with England scrapping the amber list of countries. The new rules come into place on Monday October 4.
Travellers who have been vaccinated for at least 14 days under an approved vaccination programme in the UK, Europe or US or a UK approved vaccination programme overseas won’t need a pre-departure PCR test to return to the UK.
Vaccines must be with a full course of Oxford/AstraZeneca, Pfizer BioNTech, Moderna or Janssen from relevant public healthy bodies. However, the UAE isn’t on this list. It includes Australia, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Brunei, Canada, Dominica, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, New Zealand, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea or Taiwan. Mixed between two-dose vaccines (Oxford/AstraZeneca, Pfizer BioNTech, Moderna is also recognised).
Under the new rules, people who have had a full course under the approved programmes will not have to take a pre-departure test before leaving any country not on the red list – though PCR tests might be required for certain airlines. Airlines from the UAE have not confirmed whether they will still require one to board the plane. There will no longer be a need to take the day eight covid test or home quarantine for ten days for fully vaccinated people on the approved programmes.
The announcement came from the UK’s Transport Secretary Grand Sharps today (Friday September 17).
TRAVEL UPDATEðÃÂÃÂÃÂ: weâÃÂÃÂre making testing easier for travel ðÃÂçóðÃÂÃÂàFrom Mon 4 Oct, if youâÃÂÃÂre fully vax you wonâÃÂÃÂt need a pre-departure test before arrival into England from a non-red country and from later in Oct, will be able to replace the day 2 PCR test with a cheaper lateral flow.
— Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP (@grantshapps) September 17, 2021
Later in October it is expected that the day two PCR test in the UK will be replaced with a rapid lateral flow test.
As part of the changes eight countries including the Maldives, Turkey, Oman and Pakistan will be removed from the UK’s red list from Wednesday (September 22). People travelling from a red list country will still need to quarantine for 11 nights in a quarantine hotel in the UK.
The UAE was put on the UK’s red list on January 29, but was moved to the amber list on August 8. Under current rules travellers from green and amber list countries – including the UAE – have to take a PCR test on the second day of arrival in the UK.
People who are unvaccinated, or under an unrecognised programme, such as from the UAE, will still need to take a pre-departure test, as well as PCR test on days two and eight after arrival, as well as self-isolating for ten days. Test to release will still be an option.
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