Yahoo Movies The Latest Travel Rules For Your 2022 Holiday, Explained
Travel is going “back to the good old days”, according to transport secretary Grant Shapps.
The requirement for fully vaccinated arrivals to take a coronavirus test will be dropped from February 11, in time for the half-term holidays.
“You will be able to come to this country, and if you’ve been fully vaccinated, in other words two vaccinations, you will not need to take any tests at all, either before you leave to come here or when you get back here,” he said.
Travel rules are also being eased for arrivals who are not fully vaccinated and for children.
With the regulations changing so frequently it can be hard to keep track. So for those dreaming of a trip abroad in 2022, here’s the easy to follow guide you need.
The England travel rules if you’re vaccinated
Previously, people who are fully vaccinated (meaning you’ve had two doses of the coronavirus vaccine) had to pre-book a Covid-19 arrival test before travel, to be taken after arrival back in the UK before the end of day two at the latest.
Now, the obligation to do this test has been scrapped completely for fully-vaccinated passengers returning home to England.
The rules for other UK nations can be found here.
The England travel rules if you’re not vaccinated
From February 11, the rules have also been reduced for unvaccinated passengers. Unvaccinated passengers are no longer required to do a test on day eight of your arrival or to self-isolate for a mandatory 10 days.
However, you will still need to take a Covid test two days before you travel to England and will also need to complete a post-arrival PCR test on day two of your return.
Travel rules for children
Children aged four and under do not have to take any travel tests.
Previously, children aged five to 17 had to follow the testing and quarantine rules for people who qualify as fully vaccinated on arrival in England (meaning they needed to test on day two of arrival).
The good news for parents is that from February 11, all children (0-17 years) are exempt from Covid testing on arrival in England.
The travel rules in other countries
While the rules for England are relaxing, its vital to check the entry and exit requirements for the country you’re visiting.
For example, you must show proof of being fully vaccinated to enter Spain from the UK if travelling for tourism purposes. This includes children over the age of 12 – something to consider if you’re holidaying with teens who have yet to access their jab.
You should also double check the definition of “fully vaccinated” at your holiday destination. In the UK, having two doses of the vaccine and no booster is currently enough to be categorised as fully vaccinated – but this is not the case elsewhere.
“Increasingly countries elsewhere are requiring the booster for you to go there,” Shapps told LBC.
“So an important message for people listening to your show, particularly perhaps younger people who maybe think ‘Oh, I haven’t bothered with the booster, I’ve been jabbed but I haven’t bothered with the booster’, get the booster because this summer, from talking to my counterparts around the world, in Europe and elsewhere, if you want to travel, say go to Spain on holiday this summer, they are almost certainly going to require that booster jab. So you want to get that.”
There are currently no countries listed on the UK’s red list for travel, but remember that this can always change. Check the Covid policies offered by your travel company before you book.
This article originally appeared on HuffPost UK and has been updated.
