UK removes mandatory quarantine for vaccinated Indians after India's reciprocal measures

In a much-awaited move, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has removed the travel restrictions imposed on the Indian travellers and has reversed its decision of imposing quarantine guidelines on fully vaccinated Indian citizens. Taking a U-turn on its travel policy, the UK government has permitted Indian travellers to visit the UK from October 11, 4 am onwards.

It has been announced that the fully vaccinated individuals with the Covishield vaccine will be treated the same as the returning fully vaccinated UK residents.

UK govt removes travel restrictions imposed on Indians, will treat vaccinated Indian passengers as UK residents

The Boris Johnson government has removed over 37 countries from the travelling red list, including India, permitting the passengers to travel to the country. The vaccinated people in over 37 new countries and territories, including Brazil, Ghana, Hong Kong, Pakistan, South Africa and Turkey will be allowed to travel. 

Announcing the decision, MP Rt Hon Grant Shapps wrote on Twitter, that only 7 countries, including South Africa have been put on the restraining red list as of now and passengers from all other countries/ regions have been permitted to travel. However, the government has further said that the passenger must have not visited a red list country or territory in the 10 days before arriving in England.
 

He further wrote in another tweet that fully vaccinated passengers from 37 countries, including India, Turkey and Ghana will be treated as citizens vaccinated in the UK. He wrote, "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 said that the change in the policy has been announced to open up travel and provide stability for passengers and the tourism industry. The decision comes after series of futile talks that were held between India and the UK about the latter's travel policy discriminating against vaccinated Indians.

The new travel rules approved by the United Kingdom government make it compulsory for a 10-day long quarantine and RT-PCR test even for fully vaccinated Indian nationals travelling to the UK.

An impasse was maintained until India adopted a give-and-take approach against the UK's international travel guidelines. Infuriated by UK's move, India, in response, had enforced reciprocal rules for UK nationals travelling to India since October 04.

Image: AP/PTI