News Brief
No Quarantine For Covishield Vaccinated Indians Travelling To UK: British Envoy
British High Commissioner to India Alex Ellis
Indians fully vaccinated with Covishield or any other UK-approved vaccine travelling to the UK will not have to undergo quarantine from Monday (11 October), British High Commissioner to India, Alex Ellis, said on Thursday (7 October).
Ellis tweeted, "No quarantine for Indian travellers to United Kingdom fully vaccinated with Covishield or other UK-approved vaccine from October 11. Thanks to Indian government for close cooperation over last month."
Earlier last month, a UK travel advisory had made 10-day quarantine mandatory for Indian travellers, who have received both doses of Covishield manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII).
However, after facing criticism for different quarters, the UK travel advisory has accommodated Covishield as an approved vaccine in the UK.
The new travel advisory that was implemented on 4 October said, "Formulations of the listed vaccines -- Astra Zeneca Covishield, Astra Zeneca Vaxzevira and Moderna Takeda -- qualify as approved vaccines."
However, the travelers from India were still needed to go for quarantine in UK as the country did not recognise the Indian vaccine certificates.
In response to the UK quarantine rules for Indians, India also imposed a 10-day mandatory quarantine for UK nationals arriving in India from 4 October onwards.
The move came as a reciprocity of the UK's decision that people vaccinated with Covishield in India will have to meet the strict mandatory quarantine rules while visiting the UK.
On Thursday, the UK government released a statement in which it announced the removal of 47 countries and territories from the 'Red List'.
It also announced that from Monday (11 October), eligible travellers vaccinated in over 37 new countries and territories including Brazil, Ghana, Hong Kong and India "will also be treated the same as returning fully vaccinated UK residents, so long as they have not visited a red list country or territory in the 10 days before arriving in England".
"The measures announced today mark the next step as we continue to open up travel and provide stability for passengers and industry while remaining on track to keep travel open for good," Britain's Secretary of State for Transport, Grant Shapps, tweeted.
The British High Commissioner to India also thanked the Indian government for cooperation over last month. As the UK has now eased the travel restrictions for vaccinated Indians to the UK, India may also take steps to reciprocate and ease the present restrictions imposed on UK travellers to India.
(With inputs from IANS)
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