People who have had both doses of a Covid vaccination will be allowed to travel to amber list countries without having to quarantine when they get back to the UK, the government has announced.
It would mean people will be able to go on holiday to popular destinations including United States, France and Italy without having to isolate.
Under current rules travellers arriving from amber list countries, which make up the vast majority of destinations, must isolate at home for 10 days.
All people returning to the UK from green list destinations are not required to self-isolate.
Those entering the UK from red list destinations have to isolate in government-run hotels.
Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps said: “We’re moving forward with efforts to safely reopen international travel this summer, and thanks to the success of our vaccination programme, we’re now able to consider removing the quarantine period for fully vaccinated UK arrivals from amber countries – showing a real sign of progress.
“It’s right that we continue with this cautious approach, to protect public health and the vaccine rollout as our top priority, while ensuring that our route out of the international travel restrictions is sustainable.”
In response to the government’s Global Travel Taskforce, Shapps announced plans to reopen international travel, including plans to remove the self-isolation period for amber list countries for those who are fully vaccinated, with full details set out next month.
Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye said: “It is very positive news that ministers are following the science and that fully vaccinated people will be able to travel safely without quarantine later this summer.
“We are a cosmopolitan country, a small island with strong links to the rest of the world. Exporters want to get out and sell their goods to the world, families want to reconnect after a year of separation. We will work with the Government to make this happen as soon as possible and let Britain fly!”
The Department of Transport said: “In recognition of our successful domestic vaccination programme, and as part of the Global Travel Taskforce’s checkpoint review, our intention is that later in the summer, arrivals who are fully vaccinated will not have to quarantine when travelling from amber list countries.
“We expect this to occur in phases, starting with UK residents. They will still be required to take a pre-departure test and a test on Day 2, and any positive results will be sequenced to continue to manage the risk of importing variants.
“At the same time, we intend to remove the guidance that people should not travel to amber countries. Pending decisions on whether under 18s should routinely be offered vaccination, we will also take clinical advice on whether regular testing can provide a safe alternative to quarantine for children accompanied by vaccinated adults.”
Further detail will be set out next month including the rules which will apply to children and those unable to be vaccinated, how we will operationalise this approach at the border, and the dates on which these changes will come into effect.
Until these measures are introduced, all passengers, whether vaccinated or not, must continue to abide by quarantine rules for returning to the UK from an amber list country.
It is recommended that people should not travel to amber list countries at the moment. Individuals who fail to comply with their legal duty to quarantine at home following international travel can be fined £1,000, increasing to up to £10,000 for repeat offences.