Salford Citizens Advice:
Latest emergency travel restrictions:
In response to the detection of a new and potentially dangerous mutation to the Covid virus the government has issued emergency travel restrictions, applied immediately to the countries involved.
Six African countries have been added to the red list to protect public health while the new variant is under investigation
From midday Friday 26 November, South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe and Namibia will be added to the UK’s travel red list
Passengers arriving from 4am Sunday in England will be required to book and pay for a government-approved hotel quarantine facility for 10 days.
British nationals arriving from these six countries between midday Friday and 4am Sunday, and who have been in these countries within the last 10 days, must quarantine at home for 10 days and take NHS PCR tests on day 2 and day 8, even if they already have a lateral flow test booking.
Direct flights from the six countries will be banned from midday Friday until hotel quarantine is up and running from 4am Sunday 28 November.
From midday on Friday 26 November, non-UK and Irish residents who have been in these countries in the previous 10 days will be refused entry into England. This does not apply to those who have stayed airside and only transited through any of these countries while changing flights.
UK and Irish residents arriving between midday Friday 26 November and 4am Sunday 28 November from these six countries will be required to self-isolate at home for 10 days. They must take PCR tests on Day 2 and Day 8 post-arrival. These can be NHS PCR tests and passengers should take them even if they have already booked or taken their lateral flow test.
UK and Irish residents arriving from 4am Sunday must isolate in a government-approved facility for 10 days. During their stay, they will be required to take a coronavirus test on day 2 and day 8.
A temporary ban on commercial and private planes travelling from the six countries will also come into force at midday on Friday until 4am Sunday to reduce the risk of importing this new variant under investigation while hotel quarantine is stood up. This excludes cargo and freight without passengers.
For updated information from the Foreign Office go to: www.gov.uk
If you need to find out about any restrictions for Ireland, you need to check the website for An Roinn Gnóthaí Eachtrachta (Dept of Foreign Affairs) www.dfa.ie.
Tom Togher
November 26, 2021.