COVID-19: Foreign Office relaxes advice for UK travelers to 51 destinations | UK News
Foreign Ministry lifts restrictive COVID travel advice for 51 other countries and territories.
Destinations that lifted “anything but essential travel” advice today include former Amber List countries such as Jamaica and the Bahamas.
A second step will see 42 ex-Red List countries and territories withdraw from the notice on Monday, including South Africa, Mexico and the Seychelles (scroll down for the full list).
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Once the advice is lifted, people will once again be able to purchase travel insurance for these destinations, as most insurers use it as a benchmark to exclude coverage.
The move comes two days after 32 countries and territories, including Fiji, Malaysia and Bangladesh, has the notice been lifted as the government aims to make travel easier following the successful deployment of the vaccine, better understanding of the virus and improved public health in these destinations.
The board was originally set up due to the COVID situation in these countries and territories and focused on those departing from the UK.
On Monday, the traffic light system – linked to inbound travel to the UK – was scrapped in favor of a single redlist.
The red list was then reduced to just seven countries on Thursday, with 47 destinations exiting Monday’s red list.
Countries and territories where “anything but essential” advice has been lifted today:
The Bahamas, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Jamaica, Martinique, Palau, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Western Sahara.
Countries and territories where “anything but essential” advice will be lifted on Monday:
Angola, Argentina, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Cape Verde, Chile, Democratic Republic of Congo, Costa Rica, Cuba, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Georgia, Guyana, Indonesia, Lesotho, Malawi, Mexico, Mongolia, Montenegro, Mozambique, Myanmar (Burma), Namibia, Nepal, Paraguay, Philippines, Réunion, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan, Suriname, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Uganda, Uruguay, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
French Polynesia was one of the countries to lift its travel advice on Wednesday
Foreign Minister Liz Truss said: “These updates make it easier to travel abroad – boosting trade, tourism and bringing friends and family together.
“I am delighted that the safe reopening of travel allows people to exercise their personal responsibility and visit more destinations around the world.”
The government said the advisory would be reintroduced or not lifted in “exceptional circumstances,” such as if the local health system is overwhelmed by a nationwide COVID outbreak.
Some countries and territories will continue to advise against traveling there other than essential travel, but it will be because of other circumstances such as instability, not COVID.