UK expected to relax its virus travel rules

Hopes grow for 'imminent' change after pressure from holiday firms, airlines

The United Kingdom government is thought to be close to relaxing rules for arrivals from so-called novel coronavirus hotspots.

The nation, which has managed the health risks posed by arrivals from other countries by putting territories on either green, amber, or red lists, and imposing restrictions accordingly, now reportedly wants to loosen its requirements for people arriving from European Union nations and from the United States.

The Financial Times said on Tuesday sources were predicting an imminent change in rules detailing who must enter quarantine upon arrival in the UK.

An unnamed government official told the paper the debate among ministers about whether to relax the rules was "finely balanced", with the health risk posed by people potentially arriving with novel coronavirus infections off set by the boost the move would have on tourism and the nation's economy.

The source told the paper the government was also looking independently at removing France from its so-called amber-plus list, which would mean double-jabbed arrivals in the UK would no longer have to serve 10 days in quarantine.

The Independent newspaper said the government, which ended England's national lockdown on July 19, will conclude a review of its international travel rules this week and base its decision on who will be exempted from quarantine on its findings.

John Holland-Kaye, the chief executive of Heathrow Airport, told the Financial Times he believes London should relax travel rules for fully vaccinated arrivals from the EU and the US in a matter of days.

"The UK is emerging from the worst effects of the health pandemic, but is falling behind its EU rivals in international trade by being slow to remove restrictions," he said.

The Guardian newspaper added that the wider airline industry and Abta, the trade association that represents holiday companies, have recently lobbied Grant Shapps, the UK's transport minister, urging both a relaxation of the rules and more financial support.

Sky News said exempting double-jabbed travelers arriving from EU nations from having to quarantine should be relatively easy because the bloc has begun issuing digital health passes that record people's vaccination status.

But the BBC said the US does not have a centralized vaccine database or an online record, so exempting vaccinated travelers from there would be more complicated.

Additionally, the broadcaster said Washington is expected to reciprocate, if the UK does relax its travel rules.

The White House said on Monday that it has no intention of lifting restrictions on non-Americans entering the country in light of recent rises in infections, and the elevated transmissibility of the Delta variant of the virus, which is becoming prevalent in many parts of the world.

US President Joe Biden's press secretary, Jen Psaki, told reporters Washington has little choice but to "maintain existing travel restrictions at this point".