Covid-19 travel tests scrapped for fully vaccinated people

People arriving in England from abroad will no longer have to take Covid tests if they are fully vaccinated, the government has confirmed today (24th January 2022).

The changes will be introduced from 4am on 11 February “in time for the half term break”, said Transport Secretary Grant Shapps.

Vaccinated travellers currently need to do a test within two days of arriving.

Mr Johnson said although people had to be “cautious”, “you can see the figures are starting to get better”. “What we’re doing on travel, to show that this country is open for business, open for travellers, you will see changes so that people arriving no longer have to take tests if they have been vaccinated, if they have been double vaccinated,” he added.

Currently, fully vaccinated passengers, who have had two doses, and under-18s no longer need a pre-departure test two days before travelling to the UK.

However, within 48 hours of arrival, everyone aged five and over – or 11 and over in Scotland – must take a lateral flow test (LFT), or a more expensive PCR test. If they take an LFT and it is positive, they must self-isolate and take an NHS PCR test to confirm the result.

Vaccinated travellers also have to fill in and submit an online passenger locator form no more than 48 hours before arriving, even if they are just passing through the UK.

Earlier in January, the government scrapped the need for fully vaccinated travellers coming to England to take a Covid test before they travel.

Arrivals who are not fully vaccinated must take a pre-departure test and two post-arrival PCR tests, and also self-isolate for 10 days.