Joshua Parfitt
TRAVELLERS arriving in England and Scotland from Spain will no longer need to buy day-two COVID tests, if they are fully vaccinated.
The rules will change at 4am on February 11, UK Secretary of State Grant Shapps confirmed to the House of Commons.
It follows the axing of a pre-departure test for fully vaccinated travellers from abroad to the UK back in January.
Shapps said the moves would save families about ‘£100’ on visits abroad over the half-term period and boost the travel industry.
“Today I can confirm that our international travel regime will now be liberalised as part our efforts to ensure that 2022 is the year in which restrictions on travel, on lockdowns and limits on people’s lives are firmly placed in the past,” he said.
“From 4am on February 11, and in time for the half-term break, eligible fully-vaccinated passengers arriving in the UK will no longer have to take a post-arrival lateral flow test.
“That means that after months of pre-departure testing, post-arrival testing, self-isolation, additional expense, all that fully vaccinated people will now have to do, when they travel to the UK, is to verify their status via a passenger locator form.”
Shapps added the passenger locator form would be ‘easier’ and the window extended to three days for submission prior to departure.
From February 4, unvaccinated passengers will no longer need to take a day-eight test or self-isolate – however they will still need a pre-departure test and a post-arrival PCR test.
The rules will also change to allow 12 to 15-to-year-olds to prove their vaccination status via the digital NHS pass for international travel.
Johan Lundgren, chief executive of easyJet, said the low-cost airline would ‘now look ahead to what we believe will be a strong summer’.
Airline Virgin Atlantic said: “The removal of all testing for vaccinated passengers is the final step in moving towards frictionless air travel, allowing passengers to reconnect with loved ones and business colleagues.
Wales and Northern Ireland have not yet confirmed following suit.
Do I need a COVID booster shot to travel to Spain?
New rules from February 1 that mean vaccination certificates are only valid in Spain if you have received a COVID jab within the last nine months (270 days).
All travellers who had their last dose more than 270 days ago will need a booster shot that appears on your COVID pass to enter Spain.
As well as showing proof of vaccination, travellers to Spain will need to complete the Health Control Form prior to their arrival.
READ MORE:
- TRAVEL UPDATE: Do I need a COVID-19 booster shot to travel to Spain?
- SPAIN TRAVEL UPDATE: UK scraps need for pre-departure COVID tests for fully vaccinated arrivals
- LATEST: Spain extends COVID-19 travel ban for unvaccinated visitors from most non-EU countries until end of January
