'Delighted with UK-India cooperation on Covishield': British High Commissioner to India

 Alex Ellis, UK High Commissioner to India, said that he is delighted that India and the UK cooperated and found an agreement over travel restrictions. He said, “We are delighted with UK-India cooperation on Covishield, those travelling from India can now enter the UK without quarantine.” He further added, “The people are desperate to come here. Our next step is to ease the way for travellers to come here, opening up more flights so we can get people moving between UK and India.”

Earlier this week, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson lifted the travel restrictions imposed on Indian travellers and reversed the decision of compulsory quarantine for fully vaccinated Indians. The UK government has allowed Indian travellers to visit the UK from October 11, 4 am onwards and will no longer have to quarantine for ten days. The UK government further announced that the fully vaccinated individuals inoculated with the Covishield vaccine will be treated the same as the returning fully vaccinated UK residents.

The sudden U-turn by the UK

Along with India, the British government removed over 37 countries from the travelling red list. Fully vaccinated people from over 37 new countries and territories like Brazil, Ghana, Hong Kong, and Pakistan will be allowed to travel. MP Rt Hon Grant Shapps announced the decision on Twitter that only seven countries are on the red list as of now. Although, the rule states that the traveller must not have visited a red-listed country or territory in the ten days before arriving in England. He also announced that fully vaccinated passengers from 37 countries, including India, Turkey and Ghana, will be treated as citizens vaccinated in the UK. He posted, "I'm also making changes so travellers visiting England have fewer entry requirements, by recognising those with fully-vax status from 37 new countries and territories including India, Turkey and Ghana, treating them the same as the UK fully vax passengers." The UK government made a statement saying that the policy was altered to allow the travel and tourism industry to flourish. The reversal of the decision came after several talks between India and the UK about the latter's travel policy discriminating against vaccinated Indians.

(with ANI inputs)

Image: AP