It was announced on Friday that from the beginning of next month, those who have received two doses of the vaccine will not be required to take a coronavirus test before entering the UK. Grant Shaps British Transport Minister.
The measure will come into effect on October 4 for those not traveling to England from countries that the British government has not classified as red category, the highest risk of the pandemic. Shapps also said in a statement posted on the Twitter portal that from a later date in October, those from non-red countries will not have to undergo a PCR test after arriving in England, but that a much cheaper rapid test will suffice.
The minister also announced that the green and yellow epidemic risk classifications will be removed from October 4 – the latter currently includes Hungary – and only the red category will remain. Shapps stressed that this would facilitate the entry of England from countries outside the red category.
According to detailed information provided by the UK Department of Transport shortly after Friday night, the lifting of pre-entry coronavirus testing in England will apply to those who received two doses of the vaccine at least two weeks before they were due to travel. People coming from the European Union must vaccinate themselves in advance with a vaccine approved by the European Union Medicines Agency (EMA).
According to the ministry, from the end of October, arrivals from non-red countries who have been fully vaccinated with internationally recognized vaccines will also be exempted from the PCR test on the second day after arrival, and a cheaper lateral flow test will suffice instead. If this proves positive, a PCR test must be done, but unlike current regulations, it will be free.
The Ministry of Transport, in its briefing on Friday, stressed that this amendment will not take effect on October 4, and that those arriving in England from that date will still have to undergo a mandatory PCR test on the second day. The exact date for the termination of this obligation has not been announced by the administration, the description only states that the date of adjustment to the test specifications after arrival in England is expected to coincide with the end of the autumn break in English schools in October.
For now, the relaxation of the rules applies to England, as the governments of other UK nations – Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – decide whether or not to follow the UK’s amendments.
(MTI)
