2LT International News

LONDON, England: Fully-vaccinated travelers returning to England and Scotland from France will now be exempt from quarantines, reversing a decision that threw millions of holidays into confusion.

Britain has fully vaccinated a higher proportion of its population against COVID-19 than most countries, but its rules prevented travel to many countries, devastating the travel industry.

Grant Shapps, U.K. Transport Minister, said the easing of the rules would reduce pressure on the struggling travel industry and allow holiday makers to meet their friends and families.

England and Scotland eased travel rules for Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Slovakia, Latvia, Romania and Norway, though it increased the price of compulsory hotel quarantine from red list countries by 60 percent to $3,173 per adult.

“While we must continue to be cautious, today’s changes will reopen a range of international holiday destinations,” Shapps said in a statement.

The United Kingdom operates a “traffic light” system for international travel, with low-risk countries rated green for quarantine-free travel, medium risk countries rated amber, and red countries requiring arrivals to spend 10 days in hotel quarantine.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s travel regulations have angered some European allies, frustrated millions of sun-seeking Britons and brought dire warnings from airports, airlines and tour companies.

British Airways welcomed the easing of rules but stressed the government must go further.

“We welcome more low-risk countries being added to the green list, but we urge the government to go further, end uncertainty and allow people to benefit from our world-leading vaccination programme,” said Sean Doyle, BA Chairman and CEO, in a statement.

France was on the amber list but became the only “amber plus” country in mid-July, meaning that even fully-vaccinated people had to quarantine on their return, prompting an outcry from the travel industry and French politicians.