In a statement released by the UK government, the restrictions will help reduce the risk of new variants – such as those first identified in South Africa (SA) and Brazil – from entering England.
Under this policy, international visitors who have departed from or transited through Pakistan, Kenya, Bangladesh and the Philippines in the previous 10 days will be barred from entering England. The move will take effect from 4am on Friday, 9 April.
The addition of these 4 countries means there are now a total of 39 countries on England’s ‘red list’.
Only British and Irish citizens, or those who hold the permanent residency in UK will be allowed to enter England after a ten-day mandatory quarantine provided by the government.
Important travel update: 🇵🇰 will be added to the 🇬🇧’s red list of travel ban countries from 9 April👇 pic.twitter.com/HVRyp9xEzp
— Christian Turner (@CTurnerFCDO) April 2, 2021
The statement further said that the passengers would be directed to arrive at a designated port. No direct flight bans from these countries will be put in place, but passengers are advised to check their travel plans before departing for England.
United Kingdom’s government website states that passengers will be required to take a coronavirus test on or before Day 2 and on or after Day 8, and they will not be allowed to shorten their quarantine period on receipt of a negative test result.
They will also not be able to end their managed quarantine early through the Test to Release scheme.
In the statement, the government also asked the British nationals currently in the countries on the red list to make use of the commercial options available if they wish to return to England. Commercial routes that will allow British and Irish nationals and residents to return to England will continue to operate.
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The UK government had made it consistently clear it will take decisive action if necessary, to contain the virus and that is why it has added these countries to the red list.
The British nationals stuck in the countries which are a part of the red list are requested to check Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) travel advice and follow local guidance. The FCDO will continue to offer tailored consular assistance to British nationals in need of support overseas on a 24/7 basis.