By Dantes Odogwu
Fully vaccinated travellers to England will not be required to test and quarantine after arrival from 4:00am on the 11th of February following a relaxation of Covid travel restrictions by the government.
Travellers who do not hold a valid vaccination status will continue to be required to provide proof of a negative test taken in the two days prior to travelling to England followed by a negative PCR test taken within two days of arrival.
Arrival rules are different for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and are under constant review by the respective devolved administrations.
Holiday bookings have increased dramatically following the change to Covid 19 travel restrictions according to a travel agent Brighten Godfrey, 42, who owns Peckham-based ticketing firm Trans-Connection.
“This is a big win for the Aviation industry: we were out of business for over one year because nobody was ready to pay thousands of pounds to travel abroad,” he said. “The government goofed with the anti-people Covid rules that made it practically impossible for families to see their loved ones.
“Travellers have begun to book reservations for the summer holidays and I think there is finally light at the end of the tunnel.”
Currently, anyone who arrives in England from a red list country must quarantine for 10 days in a government-mandated hotel with costs of up to £2,285 per person.
Relief for travellers
Eric Nwachukwu, the senior pastor of church Aglow, Asaba in Nigeria who tried to travel to England to see the birth of his son, said: “No doubt the scrapping of the mandatory quarantine rule is a welcome development but I cannot forget the pains it caused me.
“My wife delivered a baby boy at St Thomas’s hospital London on the 10th of October 2021 and [I] had to go through the stress alone, I couldn’t travel to be with her because I was unable to afford the compulsory quarantine fee.
“The extortionate cost of these mandatory quarantine payments and the complicated Covid tests [are] putting many people off flying and making life miserable for travellers.”
Relief by the easing of restrictions is down to the efforts of the government of the NHS. according to 49-year-old Hilary Ibegbulem, who travels from Nigeria to England selling clothing. “Thanks to the UK government for the success of the vaccine roll-out, the tireless effort of the NHS and the amazing public response towards the Jab which has made it possible for the government to achieve this feat,” said Ibegbulem.
“Business has been very tough for us since the beginning of the pandemic and it’s making life unbearable for us workers.”
“The only way for business to bounce bank is if the UK economy improves and this is only possible in a Covid-19 free environment, so I implore every eligible Londoner to get the vaccines and the booster as soon as possible.”
Added Ahmed Jubril, who runs Luxor Home Furniture in Peckham, London: “The only way for business to bounce bank is if the UK economy improves and this is only possible in a Covid-19 free environment, so I implore every eligible Londoner to get the vaccines and the booster as soon as possible.”
For any further travel information regarding arrivals to England, visit Government guidance.
Leave a Reply