England scraps quarantine for amber list countries

By Karim El-Bar

LONDON (AA) – Starting July 19, double-jabbed people in England will be able to return from countries on the amber foreign travel list without needing to quarantine, officials said Thursday.

The rule change means that for fully vaccinated people from England, there is no difference in quarantine rules between green and amber list countries. As with green list countries, English travelers will still be required to take a PCR test on their second day after their return.

The change also applies to under-18s. This, combined with the fact that many countries on the 140-strong amber list are also popular British tourist destinations such as Spain, Portugal, and Greece, opens up the door to summer holidays for English families.

British Transport Secretary Grant Shapps told parliament: "We want to welcome international visitors back to the UK and are working to extend our approach to vaccinated passengers from important destinations."

He added that people returning to England will still be asked by tourist operators and airline carriers to check for their proof of vaccination status.

Shapps added: "An amber list country could still turn red, necessitating a change in behavior."