No more isolation for fully vaccinated arrivals from France, as India moved off red list
Fully vaccinated travellers and under 18s arriving in England from France will no longer need to isolate, while India is coming off the red list.
The Department for Transport has set out the government’s latest COVID-19 travel update, with all of the changes taking effect from 4am on Sunday.
In a surprise move, the cost for solo travellers staying at a quarantine hotel will go up from 12 August, from £1,750 to £2,285.
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‘I haven’t seen my family for 21 months’
The charge for an additional adult sharing a room will increase from £650 to £1,430.
According to the government, this is to “better reflect the increased costs involved”.
Seven countries are moving to the green list: Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Slovakia, Latvia, Romania and Norway.
This means people will not have to quarantine when returning from these nations, regardless of their vaccination status, although they will have to take a pre-departure test and another two days after arrival.
India, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates will move from the red list to amber, meaning travellers will no longer have to pay to quarantine in a hotel for 11 days.
Returning from amber list countries has usually meant a 10-day period quarantining at home – but under-18s and those fully vaccinated in the UK are now exempt, as well as those who have received both jabs in the EU and US.
Four countries will be put on the red list: Mexico, Georgia, La Reunion and Mayotte.
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Shapps: More jabs means more travel
The government said its decision to bin the amber plus list that France was on and align it with the rest of the amber category “simplifies the system to three categories” once more.
But the green watchlist, which gives travellers notice of countries whose green status is at risk of changing, remains in place and is unchanged with 16 countries on the list.
There has been criticism of the government’s travel policy in recent days, including the decision to keep the 10-day quarantine requirement for arrivals from France, regardless of vaccination status, while removing it for all other European countries from Monday.
The possibility of an amber watchlist of countries in danger of turning red also provoked controversy.
It was later confirmed the watchlist would not be introduced this week, with Boris Johnson saying he wanted a “simple” and “user-friendly” system for travellers.
There were worries that Spain – where it is thought up to a million Britons are currently on holiday – could have been added to the red list.
The country will remain in the amber category, although travellers arriving back from Spain are being urged to take a PCR test for their mandatory pre-departure test “as a precaution against the increased prevalence of the virus and variants in the country”.
Holidaymakers on a Spanish beach
Many people currently use lateral flow tests, which are cheaper, to meet the testing requirement.
The government said UK clinicians and scientists “remain in close contact with their counterparts in Spain to keep abreast of the latest data and picture of cases”.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said “we must continue to be cautious”, but the latest changes “reopen a range of different holiday destinations across the globe, which is good news for both the sector and travelling public”.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid said the announcement was “based on the latest data and expert public health advice”.
He added: “As well as moving more countries to the green list, today’s announcement also demonstrates the need for continued caution.
“Further countries have been added to the red list to help protect the success of our vaccine rollout from the threat of new variants.”
Labour’s shadow transport secretary Jim McMahon said ministers had “plunged the summer plans of thousands of families into chaos” with what he said was their “flip-flopping over France”.
“While everyone wants to see international travel open up, it has to be done safely,” he said.
“Ministers must explain to passengers and the industry how they’ve reached these changes with clear information on the direction of travel of infections in each country.
“Ministers need to get a grip and set out a proper strategy, provide full data, and progress work with global partners on international vaccine passports so travellers and the industry can have clarity instead of reckless U-turns and confusion.”
Karen Dee, chief executive of the Airport Operators Association, welcomed the expansion of the green list as a “positive step forward” but said the UK is still a “long way off a full and meaningful restart of international travel”.
She urged ministers to come up with a “much-needed tailored package of financial support to help our aviation industry through the challenging months ahead”.
Paul Charles, chief executive of travel consultancy The PC Agency, said the government “is still being too cautious” and there “remains four colour categories” despite promises of a “simpler” system.
“The government is also failing to address the hurdles putting off consumers from booking, namely not giving a week or more’s notice of a country being moved to amber or red, and the high cost of onerous testing,” he said.
“Until these are resolved, the government continues to deliberately keep travel in an armlock.”
Thunderstorm warnings have been issued for large parts of the country, lasting from lunchtime until Monday night.
The Met Office says thunder and heavy downpours could cause flooding and travel problems.
Southeast England – including Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and south London – could be affected from noon, says the forecaster.
Other areas affected are mid-Wales and most of northern England, stretching up past Glasgow into southwest Scotland.
That warning is in force from 1pm – with both alerts ending at 9pm.
Pic: Met Office
Pic: Met Office
“Spray and sudden flooding could lead to difficult driving conditions and some road closures,” says the Met Office, while there is also a small chance that roads and properties could be flooded.
Bank Holiday Monday has brought a grey and cloudy start for many, with forecasts ranging from 12C (53F) in the Hebrides to 18C (64F) in northern England at 1pm.
Get the latest Sky News forecast for where you live
However, it will become warmer, brighter and drier from Tuesday with high pressure forecast for much of the UK – and it should stay that way for next weekend.
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London is expected to have 23C (73F) with sunny spells next Saturday and Sunday, according to the Met Office.
Highs of 20C (68F) are forecast in Edinburgh, while Cardiff is set for sunshine and 19C (66F), and Belfast likely to struggle with cloud but still feeling warm with a maximum of 20C.
West Ham have agreed a deal in principle with Julen Lopetegui to take over from David Moyes as manager at the end of the season, Sky Sports News understands.
Lopetegui, 57, has been out of work since leaving Wolves three days before the start of the season but has stayed in England in the hope of landing another job in the Premier League.
The Spaniard, who has also managed Porto, Spain, Real Madrid and Sevilla during an illustrious coaching career, looks set to take charge at the London Stadium at the end of the season after Moyes’ expected departure.
Julen Lopetegui. File pic: PA
West Ham are ninth in the league after Sunday’s 5-0 defeat at Chelsea.
Moyes, 61, who is out of contract in the summer, has faced increased questions about his future as his team have won only one of their previous nine league games.
He said he felt “really sorry” for West Ham fans after watching his side fall to a heavy loss at Stamford Bridge.
He said: “The fans have been great but I feel bad for them.
“I don’t normally have teams who get beaten like this but we are lacking some ingredients – mental toughness and leadership to get better results, or at least not get hammered.
West Ham United manager David Moyes during the Premier League defeat at Chelsea. Pic PA
“The fans played their part and I can only say I’m really sorry for how it played out.”
Asked if he was frustrated that the club was regularly being linked with other managers, he said: “I’ll talk to the board at the end of the season. We’ll do that then.”
The Scot, whose second spell as Hammers boss began in 2019, led the club to their Premier League points total of 65 in 2021, finishing in sixth place.
The following year they finished seventh and reached the semi-finals of the Europa League.
They went one better last year, winning the Europa Conference League final, the club’s first European trophy since 1965.
In November, Lopetegui told Sky Sports News he had unfinished business in the Premier League.
He said: “It’s why I’ve said no to different countries and different situations because I would like to stay here in England. I feel like our team here is just starting and we want to achieve our dreams.
“The way the country lives football here is special – it’s the best league in the world, the most competitive league in the world, the best environment for the players, coaches and fans too.”
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