I welcome that the Government has now removed the temporary extra testing measures which were introduced last year at the border to slow cases of Omicron coming into the UK. Now that Omicron is the dominant variant and is widespread in the UK, additional testing measures were longer proportionate to the risk we face.
I am encouraged by the changes to UK entry requirements which mean that as of 4am on 11 February all testing requirements have been removed for eligible fully vaccinated arrivals, with only a Passenger Locator Form now required. Arrivals who are not recognised as fully vaccinated only need to take a pre-departure test and a PCR test on or before day 2 after they arrive in the UK. Furthermore, children aged 12-15 in England will be able to prove their vaccination status or proof of prior infection via a digital NHS COVID Pass from 3 February for outbound travel.
As you may know, the Government is treating all under 18s coming to England as fully vaccinated at the border. That means there will be no requirement to undertake a pre-departure test or a post-arrival PCR test.
I understand that the Government is now recognising vaccines on the World Health Organisation's Emergency Health Listing (WHO EUL). This means that Sinovac, Sinopharm and Covaxin have been added to the list of approved vaccines for inbound travel, benefitting more fully vaccinated people from countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia and India.
At this stage, individuals qualify as fully vaccinated if they have completed their primary course of vaccination (in most cases, two doses), though I am told that this will be updated once everyone, including young people, has had a reasonable chance to get boosted. Indeed, it is already the case that a booster jab is required to qualify as fully vaccinated for the purposes of travel to some countries. Boosters and third doses also appear on the NHS app in England, making it easy for people to show their vaccine status when travelling abroad.
While the Government is right to say that vaccination against COVID-19 is a personal choice, we must be mindful that unvaccinated individuals pose a greater risk in this phase of the pandemic. That is why the Government continues to require that unvaccinated individuals take a pre-departure test and post-arrival PCR test upon return to England from non-red-list countries abroad.
I believe these requirements are entirely proportionate to the current situation. However, Ministers assure me that they are continuing to work with the travel industry and private testing providers to reduce the cost of PCR testing, which has already fallen substantially in recent months. And further, I know that testing requirements for unvaccinated passengers are regularly reviewed.
For now, I urge everyone to take up the offer of vaccination as soon as they are able.
People in England who have had the vaccine are able to demonstrate their COVID-19 vaccination status for outbound travel using the NHS App or letter. And the app has now been updated to automatically include booster or third doses for international travel. Further, the app also allows people to show evidence of natural immunity as they travel out of the country. I understand that the Government is working with the devolved administrations to ensure this facility is available to people across the UK.
The NHS COVID Pass is also now linked up with the EU Digital COVID Certificate. This agreement allows the UK and all EU member states to digitally verify their respective citizens’ COVID vaccination status using the EU Digital COVID Certificate (DCC) gateway. It will make it easier for UK citizens to get into museums, restaurants and other venues requiring proof of vaccination across the EU.
Thanks to the UK’s world-leading vaccination programme, the UK Government has been able to make a number of major changes to progress international travel. I nevertheless note the concerns raised regarding international travel within 90 days of a COVID-19 infection.
As I understand it, the NHS COVID Pass can be obtained for travel abroad after receiving proof of natural immunity shown by a positive PCR test result for COVID-19. Natural immunity is defined as lasting for 180 days after the date of the positive test and following completion of the self-isolation period. Of course, it is a matter for other countries to recognise this form of immunity.
In terms of returning to the UK, I understand that proof of recovery from prior COVID-19 infection cannot be used as evidence of your COVID-19 status and the UK Government is not planning to introduce a certificate of recovery for the purposes of inbound international travel. Indeed, as far as I understand it, no countries recognise natural immunity as an exclusive qualifier for relaxed border measures. Where natural immunity is recognised, vaccination and/or testing are also accepted.
Testing post-arrival for unvaccinated travellers remains an important tool to manage the risk of imported cases, allowing the Government to monitor positive tests and ensure people isolate, as well as identify and genomically sequence variants of concern.
Ministers have worked with the travel industry and private testing providers to reduce the cost of tests for the British public, while ensuring travel is as safe as possible. Thanks to this work, the cost of some tests has reduced significantly.
Free National Health Service tests cannot be used for travel in order to preserve existing lateral flow device testing supplies to protect public health. Since requirements were introduced for international travel testing, the costs have fallen significantly, and I know that the Government is committed to working with the travel industry and private providers to reduce the cost of travel testing further.
Regarding PCR tests, as previously mentioned, free National Health Service tests cannot be used for international travel in order to preserve testing capacity and protect public health. However, I know the Government is committed to working with private testing providers to reduce the cost of testing. However, for United Kingdom residents or individuals with residency rights who would suffer severe financial hardship by paying the full cost of their managed quarantine or testing fees before they travel, hardship arrangements may be available.
Furthermore, I also note the concerns raised about the complexity of the Passenger Locator Form (PLF). While all passengers must complete the PLF online, I know that passengers may seek assistance from family, friends or another third party. And further, once the PLF is completed, it may be printed off to show carriers before departing to the UK.
For those individuals who require additional support, or who are encountering issues, there are dedicated helplines that can provide advice. The contact telephone number from within the UK is 0800 678 1767 and is open Monday-Friday between 9-5. This number is free to call. If support is required from outside the UK, the contact telephone number is 0044 207 113 0371. These calls are charged dependent on the network provider.
A 'how-to' guide is also available on gov.uk which provides supporting information to those who need to fill in a PLF. This guide can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/passenger-locator-form-how-to-guide.
I also understand that key factors in the assessment of each travel destination include the percentage of the destination’s population that have been vaccinated; the rate of infection; the prevalence of variants of concern; and the country’s access to reliable scientific data and genomic sequencing.
I am also pleased that the US has now eased travel restrictions for fully vaccinated travellers from the UK. Passengers will need to demonstrate proof of vaccination before flying, obtain a negative Covid-19 test result within 24 hours of travelling, and provide their contact information. They will not be required to quarantine.
The US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has confirmed that the US will accept U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved or authorised vaccines including Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna. The CDC has also confirmed that World Health Organisation (WHO) Emergency Use Listed (EUL) vaccines will be accepted. This means that those vaccinated with the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine will be able to travel into the US.
For those individuals who have received a mix of vaccines, including as part of the booster campaign, I know the US will consider them fully vaccinated if they have received any combination of two doses of an FDA approved or authorised or WHO EUL vaccine.
Finally, as you know, the UK, along with the rest of the international community, with the sole exception of Turkey, does not recognise the self-declared "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" as an independent state. I appreciate personal inconveniences resulting from this fact described by many of my constituents regarding travelling to the UK. Ministers have said they are looking at whether there are ways to address the issue of access to UK-accepted certificates for certain people vaccinated in the north of Cyprus. People in this group can still travel to England as per the relevant rules outlined above.
Overall, these are all welcome steps which will further support the safe reopening of international travel.