All remaining restrictions of COVID-19 related to travel have now been lifted for those passengers who are entering the UK.
As of 04:00 GMT, the passengers who are still not vaccinated will no longer need to go for tests. The rule has now been lifted for the vaccinated, and passenger locator forms have been scrapped.
This comes after whole two years when the first COVID-19 lockdown measures were imposed in the UK.
Travel bosses stated that lifting the rules was the “final game-changer”.
According to Aviation Minister Robert Courts’, “Everything we have worked for – every jab, every test, and the sacrifices made by the whole country means that finally, nearly two years on, we can all travel without bureaucratic restrictions.”
As per the government statement, the change had been slow timed before the Easter holidays but added that contingency plans had been drawn to respond to any future COVID-19 variants.
According to ‘Derek Jones, chief executive of Kuoni, a tourism company, bookings had rushed in recent months.
Furthermore, they stated that removing the restrictions is the final game-changer. People can go now on holiday or visit their family or friends overseas without taking any stress that comes with testing before they return home.
“Finally, we’ve seen the back of the unpopular and ineffective passenger locator forms, which were always a hassle to complete. Travel has been in upheaval for two years, but now it’s back.”
However, UK travellers are still advised that they need to check the rules at least one more time, especially to those countries where they are planning to go—as; many countries still have restrictions and testing requirements in place.
The vanish of the rules marks the end of a rapidly changing and often complex – set of COVID-19 rules for those who are still coming to the UK.
People were first advised against all non-essential international travel in March 2020.
However, in 2021, they introduced the locator forms, especially for arrivals, along with ‘travel corridors. They have to go for self-isolation at their home only and up to 14 days.
Other rules have retained with pre-departure and post-arrival tests, hotel quarantine for some arrivals, and a “traffic light” system of red, amber, and green countries.
In a further complication, all the four nations could set their own rules like there were sometimes have different restrictions in different parts of the UK.
More recently, changes have been agreed upon by all governments in the UK.
