The boss of Britain’s largest airport has welcomed the news that travellers arriving in England from around 72 countries and overseas territories will no longer need to self-isolate from two weeks as the UK recovers from its coronavirus pandemic.
The new rules, which include 58 foreign countries and 14 British Overseas Territories, apply to people arriving by air, sea or train to England. Passengers will still be required to provide contact information on arrival.
The easing of measures will come as a relief to those working in the travel and tourism sectors. The UK’s largest airport, Heathrow, which saw 80.8 million passengers pass through it last year, has been devastated by the pandemic. It saw passenger numbers plunge by 97 per cent in the second quarter of this year, compared with the same period last year.
Although the list of countries exempt from quarantine measures includes popular tourist hotspots such as France and Spain, there are many countries intentionally left off the list, including Brazil, Iran, Russia and the United States. Almost all of the countries excluded continue to be badly hit by the Covid-19 pandemic. There are also countries on the list – including Australia and New Zealand – that are not allowing travellers to come in.
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A woman carrying a child waits to board a special train to Rajasthan after the government eased a nationwide lockdown imposed as a preventive measure against the COVID-19 coronavirus, at MGR Central railway station in Chennai, India. AFP -
Devotees offer prayers at the Kuan Yin Temple in Penang, Malaysia. AFP -
Students chat behind a plastic partition in a classroom at a high school in Wuhan in China's central Hubei province. AFP -
Principal Pam Rasmussen takes the temperature of arriving students at Happy Day School in Monterey Park, California, USA. AFP -
Passengers wearing personal protective equipment queue at the check-in counters of Emirates, at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines. Reuters -
A security guard takes a delivery outside the Rydges Hotel which is being used as a quarantine hotel in Auckland, New Zealand. Getty Images -
Protective face masks to help curb the spread of the coronavirus are sold at a shop in Tokyo, Japan. AP Photo -
An electoral personnel sanitises self-inking pens at a ballot booth at a polling station during the general election amid the Covid-19 outbreak in Singapore. Reuters -
People walk through a shopping arcade in Melbourne, Australia, as the city re-enters a lockdown after a fresh outbreak of the Covid-19 coronavirus. AFP -
Firefighters spray disinfectant to curb the spread of coronavirus at the Martyrs' mausoleum in Yangon, Myanmar. EPA -
Dr. Joseph Varon, right, leads a team as they try to save the life of a patient unsuccessfully inside the Coronavirus Unit at United Memorial Medical Center in Houston, Texas, USA. AP Photo -
Maria Delgadillo takes a selfie with her mother Rosa Torres at the entrance to Disneyland on the reopening day of the Downtown Disney District in Anaheim, California, USA. The Orange County Register via AP -
Portraits of healthcare workers are displayed on the facade of the Opera Bastille, at the initiative of the collective #ProtegeTonSoignant to pay tribute to caregivers in first line during the Covid-19 epidemic in Paris, France. AFP -
A woman works on the interior of a coffin at the Funerales Nazareth factory, where production has increased due to the ongoing coronavirus disease outbreak, in San Pedro Perulapan, El Salvador. Reuters -
A visitor wearing a protective face mask takes a selfie near an art-wall painted by Indonesian artist Hanafi at Kertas Gallery during an exhibition in Depok, near Jakarta, Indonesia. Reuters
Wales and Northern Ireland have adopted the same approach as the UK government but Scotland will still require travellers from Spain and some other countries on the English list to quarantine on arrival.
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said data from the British government showed that the virus infects 330 per 100,000 people in Spain, compared with only 28 per 100,000 in Scotland. The Scottish list only includes 38 countries.
After the easing of measures, Heathrow's chief executive, John Holland-Kaye, said travellers from “important trading partners” such as the US shouldn’t have to quarantine on arrival. He said that although America was seen a high risk country nationally, there were areas of it that hadn’t been badly affected by the virus.
He added that coronavirus has dealt “a devastating blow” to the airline sector, leading to many job losses.
“Aviation is not just about people going on holiday from the UK, it is also about our vital trading routes from around the world and 40 per cent of the UK’s exports are flying from Heathrow,” he told Sky News.
“There are some important long-haul markets that aren’t included, places like Canada and Singapore, which are low risk, and we’d like to see those being included in the next review,” Mr Holland-Kaye added.
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A Beefeater opens the West Door during the reopening of the Tower of London in London, Britain. EPA -
A model of the polar bear gifted to King Henry III by King Haakon of Norway in 1251 is seen as Guardsmen and Yeoman Warders prepare to take part in a ceremonial event to mark the reopening to the public of the Tower of London. Getty Images -
Beefeaters and a guardsman officially reopen the Tower of London. EPA -
A guard lowers the Middle Drawbridge during a ceremonial event to mark the reopening to the public of the Tower of London. Getty Images -
Beefeaters officially reopen the Tower of London. EPA -
Tourists queue up to enter the Tower of London. Getty Images -
Tourism hotspots such as the Tower of London are re-opening their doors, hoping to draw in visitors on the opportunity to see the sights during these much quieter times. Getty Images -
The first two tourists take a photograph as they pass under the Middle Tower. Getty Images -
A tourist has her bag searched following a ceremonial event to mark the reopening to the public of the Tower of London. Getty Images -
A visitor speaks with Yeoman Warder at the Tower of London. EPA -
Hand sanitiser for public use is seen at the Tower of London. EPA -
A Yeoman Warder speaks to a visitor as the Tower of London reopens. AP Photo -
A Yeoman Warder checks on the area around the Middle Tower. Getty Images
“We also need to think about how we are going to connect some of our really important trading partners such as the United States, which are high risk as a nation but some parts of the country are low risk.”
The British foreign office continues to advise against taking cruise holidays, after coronavirus outbreaks were found on ships off the coast of Japan and Central America.
