Covid travel: France off 'amber plus' list as seven countries added to green travel list
ITV News Consumer Editor Chris Choi outlines the key changes announced on Wednesday and what it means for holidaymakers
Travel between France and England is to become quarantine-free once more for fully vaccinated travellers after it was removed from the amber plus list.
It comes as seven other countries were added to the green list for travel, providing a huge boost for those hoping to go abroad this summer.
The change means holidaymakers will be able to return from the following countries without having to quarantine: Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Slovakia, Latvia, Romania and Norway.
The new rules will come into effect from 4am on Sunday August 8.
India, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates have also joined the amber list, allowing fully vaccinated returnees restriction free travel.
Green and amber list travel: What you need to know
What does it mean when a country is on the green list?
What does it mean when a country is on the green list?
It's important to note that just because a country is on the UK's green list, it doesn't necessarily mean the country is accepting UK citizens - Australia being one example - so check with the relevant country's government website for their latest rules on tourist arrivals.
People who are travelling to countries on the green list will need to take a Covid test up to 72 hours before they return to the UK and a single PCR test on or before day two of their arrival into the UK - but you do not need to quarantine unless the test result is positive.Children aged four and under are exempt from the test.
What countries are on the green list?
What countries are on the green list?
From 4am on Monday 30 August, the Azores, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Liechtenstein, Lithuania and Switzerland will be added to the green list. These are the other countries already on the list:
Australia
Austria
Brunei
Bulgaria,
Caribbean Islands (Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, Barbados, Dominica, Granada, Cayman Islands, Montserrat, Turks and Caicos Islands)
Croatia
Falkland Islands
Faroe Islands
Germany
Gibraltar
Hong Kong
Iceland
Israel and Jerusalem
Latvia
Malta
Madeira
New Zealand
Norway
Romania
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
Taiwan
What countries are on the amber list?
What countries are on the amber list?
No countries are being added to the amber list as part of the traffic light list changes coming into effect on Monday 30 August.There are currently more than 130 other countries on the amber list, including popular holiday destinations such as Spain, Portugal and Italy. The full list of amber list countries can be found on the UK government website.
What does it mean when a country is on the amber list?
What does it mean when a country is on the amber list?
If you're over 18 and not had two Covid vaccinations, on arrival in the UK from amber list countries you need to:
take a Covid test up to 72 hours before you return to the UK
quarantine for 10 days
take a test on or before day 2 and on or after day 8 after arriving in the UK.
However, if you've been fully vaccinated in the UK or under 18, you don't need to quarantine or take a day 8 test after you get back, but you still need to take a test on or before day 2 after arriving. You must have had your final dose of the vaccine at least 14 whole days before the date you arrive in England to be considered as fully vaccinated under the amber list rules.
Separate to these rules for UK citizens, since 2 August people fully vaccinated in the USA or most European countries will not need to quarantine if they have been in an amber list country in the 10 days before arriving. They will still need to take a test on or before day 2 after arriving.
But the latest travel update has seen Georgia, Mexico, La Reunion and Mayotte all added to the red list in order "to safeguard domestic vaccine rollout", the government said.
On Wednesday night, Scotland announced the same changed to it travel policy - and while the initial announcement only applies to England, it is often the case that the devolved nations follow the same rules.
The government says the move "simplifies the system to three categories, as well as the green watchlist to give travellers notice where green status is at risk".
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: "We are committed to opening up international travel safely, taking advantage of the gains we’ve made through our successful vaccination programme, helping connect families, friends and businesses around the world.
"While we must continue to be cautious, today’s changes reopen a range of different holiday destinations across the globe, which is good news for both the sector and travelling public."
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps explains the latest foreign travel update:
The government also said the price of staying in a quarantine hotel is being increased from £1,750 to £2,285 to "ensure taxpayers are not subsidising the costs" of a stay.
For a second adult, the price has jumped from £650 to £1,430 - an increase of £780.
Only UK and Irish nationals are allowed to land in the UK from a red list country and they'll have to pay the inflated price from August 12.
The price will better reflect the increased costs of staying in a quarantine hotel, including transport to the hotel, security, provision of welfare services and the two PCR tests which must be taken on day two and day eight of the stay, the government said.
The cost remains unchanged at £325 for children aged 5-12 and free for children under 5.
France was removed from the amber plus list (which ruled that all returnees must quarantine regardless of their vaccine status) because the country's proportion of Beta variant cases has fallen.
It brings France in line with the rest of Europe and the United States, where fully vaccinated people can land in the UK from without any quarantine requirement.
La Reunion and Mayotte were added to the red list due to the risk of high prevalence of the more dangerous Beta variant, which was first discovered in South Africa.
The variant is also causing ministers to be concerned about Spain and its islands.
Anyone returning from there is advised to take a PCR test as their pre-departure test so that more data can be collected on variants of concern.
All healthy 16 and 17 year olds will soon be offered a Covid jab - watch:
"UK clinicians and scientists will remain in close contact with their counterparts in Spain to keep abreast of the latest data and picture of cases in Spain," the government said.
Mexico was added to the red list because growing concerns about cases of the B.1.621 variant, which was first identified in Colombia.
The government says the announced changes are designed to give travellers and the travel sector "more certainty" but it warned all adjustments "will be kept under review, and further action may be taken to protect public health".
Stay up to date with the changing travel situation in the UK and abroad with news, information and advice at itv.com/holidaynews