Covid-19: First people arriving into UK after rules relaxed for fully jabbed

The first passengers have been arriving in the UK after rules changed to allow people fully vaccinated in the US and EU to avoid quarantine.

The change, which came in at 04:00 BST, affects those arriving from countries on the UK's amber list - except France.

The UK government said the change would help to reunite family and friends whose loved ones live abroad.

Airline bosses have welcomed the move but are calling for more countries to be added to the UK's green travel list.

Thomas Walters, 47, was among some of the first arrivals from the US after flying from New York to London to surprise his father for his 70th birthday.

He bought his plane ticket last Wednesday after realising the rules had changed and he could see his father for the first time since February 2020.

"All throughout the summer I've had a really strong longing to come back to the UK. Not being able to see each other for so long has been very difficult."

Thomas Walters said his father Julian was "confused... then so happy" after he arrived unexpectedly from the US

Travellers will still need to take either a lateral flow or PCR test pre-departure, and a PCR test on the second day after they arrive. Under-18s will be exempt from isolation, and some will not have to test, depending on their age.

Since 19 July, people who have been double-jabbed in the UK have not had to isolate when arriving from amber list countries, but all other travellers vaccinated elsewhere are required to quarantine for 10 days.

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• No quarantine for fully jabbed EU and US arrivals

Tougher rules also remain in place for France, with travellers still required to quarantine even if they have been double jabbed.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has said this will be reviewed at the end of the week at the next review of the travel lists.

What are the traffic light system rules?

• Green country: When returning from a country on the green list you must take a Covid-19 test before departure and have proof of a negative result. You also need to book a test for day two after your return

• Amber country: A Covid test is needed three days before returning, and a PCR test two days after arriving. People who are not fully vaccinated in the approved countries need to self-isolate for 10 days, although this can be shortened for people in England by using the Test to Release scheme - paying for a test on day five

• Red country: Regardless of your vaccination status you must take a test before departure and, on arrival, self-isolate for 10 days in a government-approved quarantine hotel

Read more here.

Elaine Burt (centre) greets her family after they land in Scotland

Others to welcome the change included nurse Elaine Burt, 55, who met her sister and nephews at Glasgow Airport after they arrived from Boston in the US - their first meeting in 20 months.

"We never thought it was going to happen with all of the different restrictions but we left it to the last minute to see what was possible," she said.

Her sister, Michelle Bolger, said it had been "a rollercoaster trying to get here", adding: "I didn't I think I would see this day."

Naomi Hooper, who lives in San Diego, said she booked a flight back to the UK as soon as the rules changed so she could see her parents for the first time since December 2019.

She said she was "so grateful" at getting the opportunity to come home. "I probably won't want to leave in eight days but I'm hoping this is the beginning of the travel opportunity - for mum and dad to come and see the kids in America."

Naomi Hooper, who left her husband and children in the US, had a tearful reunion with her parents at Heathrow

Heathrow Airport chief executive John Holland-Kaye said the UK's current travel rules were "still quite complicated" and needed to be simplified to make it easier for people to travel, as well as reducing some of the extra costs.

He told Radio 4's Today programme: "We need to get rid of the requirement for everyone to have a PCR test and replace it with a simpler, cheaper lateral flow test as a first line of defence."

The leaders of UK airlines described Monday's easing of the rules as a "positive step" but said they were concerned that the UK aviation sector was not on the path to recovery "due to the continued restrictions that are being imposed on international travel".

In a letter to Mr Shapps, they wrote that green status should "increasingly become a default" for countries, citing falling case numbers and the proportion of the UK population now vaccinated.

As part of the changes, international cruise ships will be able to depart from England from Monday - after a 16-month pause.

International cruises have been allowed from Northern Ireland since Saturday.

'More uncertainty'

Meanwhile, Tory MPs have raised concerns about the prospect of a so-called amber watch-list of countries that holidaymakers would be warned could move to the red list at short notice.

People coming to the UK from red list countries are required to isolate for 10 days in a government-approved hotel regardless of their vaccine status.

The government already has a green watch-list, which features more than half the countries on the green list and signals they are at risk of moving to amber.

Huw Merriman, chairman of the Transport Select Committee told BBC Radio 4's Westminster Hour that the potential new travel category would "be viewed as a massive red flag" that would "likely" cause bookings to those countries to "collapse".

But government minister Matt Warman defended the idea of travel watchlists, telling Sky News that warnings over potential quarantine changes gave people "really important information when they're making significant financial decisions".

While US citizens will be able to avoid quarantine in the UK they are still being urged not to travel to the UK by their country's health protection agency and the US border is currently closed to many countries, including the UK, except to US citizens.

On Sunday the UK reported 24,470 new Covid cases as well as a further 65 deaths within 28 days of a positive test.

Additional reporting by Doug Faulkner.

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