UPDATED AT 1634 on 24/01/22
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has announced that the Day 2 tests will be scrapped from 0400 on February 11.
UK arrivals who are not fully vaccinated will also no longer need to take a test on Day 8, though they will still need to provide a negative pre-departure test before they travel to the UK and take a Day 2 PCR test.
Shapps also confirmed that the government will make the passenger locator form “simpler and easier to complete”. From the end of February, arrivals will be given an additional day to fill out the form before they travel.
Additionally, the UK will recognise vaccine certificates from a further 16 nations, including China and Mexico.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has confirmed that testing for fully-vaccinated travellers arriving into England is to be scrapped.
Johnson made the announcement during a a visit to a hospital training centre in Milton Keynes – he did not provide details of when the change will come into effect, although it is understood that minister are set to meet later today.
The BBC quotes the PM as saying:
“Although we have to be cautious, we are now moving through the Omicron wave, and you can see the figures are starting to get better.
“So what we’re doing on travel, to show that this country is open for business, open for travellers, you will see changes so that people arriving no longer have to take tests if they have been vaccinated, if they have been double vaccinated.”
Currently fully vaccinated travellers must take a so-called Day 2 test when arriving into England from another country.
Any changes would apply to arrivals into England only, with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland yet to confirm if they would follow suit.
Industry bodies and airlines have welcomed the move, with Easyjet’s CEO Johan Lundgren commenting:
“We welcome this news knowing that millions of our customers will also be delighted to see the return of restriction free travel in the UK. We now look ahead to what we believe will be a strong summer.
“We believe testing for travel should now firmly become a thing of the past. It is clear travel restrictions did not materially slow the spread of Omicron in the UK and so it is important that there are no more knee jerk reactions to future variants.
“We commend the Government for removing all testing. easyJet plans to return to near 2019 levels of flying this summer and so we can’t wait to welcome our customers back onboard.”
Meanwhile a Virgin Atlantic spokesperson said:
“Britain is now open for business and it’s vital that the aviation industry is allowed to lead the way in boosting prospects for economic recovery.
“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. It restores customer confidence and demand will be boosted in a critical booking window for the travel industry.
“We have demonstrated that international travel can operate safely, taking full advantage of our world leading vaccine rollout. To ensure certainty for the industry, we will continue to work with UK Government on an evidence-based framework for variants of concern, eliminating border closures which have proven to be ineffective.”
