UK scraps quarantine for fully vaccinated Indian travellers from October 11

Ending discrimination over Covid vaccine certification, the UK government on Thursday added India to its vaccine-eligible countries list for Covishield. This would mean fully vaccinated Indians inncoulated with the Serum produced jab will no longer be required to quarantine on arrival in Britain from October 11.

Eligible travellers vaccinated in over 37 new countries, including India and Pakistan, will 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 UK govt said.

Those arriving before the cut off date of October 11 would still need to follow the rules for unvaccinated travellers.

“No quarantine for Indian travellers to UK fully vaccinated with Covishield or another UK-approved vaccine from 11 October. Thanks to Indian government for close cooperation over last month,” Alex Ellis, British High Commissioner to India said in a message on Twitter.

From October 11, Indian travellers who have received both doses of Covishield or another UK-approved vaccine at least 14 days before arrival in the UK can travel without having to quarantine; will not be required to take a pre-departure test nor take a day 8 test following their arrival.

The announcement follows a diplomatic row after the UK had included Covishield in its approved vaccine formulations but refused to recognise Indians vaccinated with it as eligible for travel without quarantine measures. India had imposed reciprocal measures, requiring vaccinated British travellers to also quarantine at a declared destination on entry into India.