“High-value” business travellers arriving in England will be exempt from self-isolation under a loosening of coronavirus travel restrictions.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the move was intended to allow more travel to support the economy and jobs.
The exemption comes into force at 4am on December 5 and applies to all countries, even those on the government’s “red list”.
It also includes special groups, including performing arts professionals, journalists and others, who, if they meet certain conditions, will not have to self-isolate on arrival.
As things stand, all passengers arriving in England from abroad are required to self-isolate for 14 days, unless they are coming from a country included on a safe travel list. The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain are among the countries on the air corridor list. There have been no additions or removals from the list.
In a more detailed statement, the Department for Transport said that the high-value business exemption would apply to people undertaking specific business activity which would deliver a significant benefit to the economy. This includes activity that creates or preserves 50 or more UK jobs, it said.
Travellers will only be exempt when undertaking specific business activities and will only be able to meet others as required by those specific activities.
"Exemptions will also come into force at the same time for domestic and international performing arts professionals, TV production staff, journalists and recently signed elite sportspersons, ensuring that industries which require specific, high-talent individuals who rely on international connections can continue to complete their work," the ministry said.
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A member of flight crew walks past a sign directing people to a Covid-19 testing site adjacent to Terminal 1 of Manchester Airport. AFP -
Nurse David Spicer carries out a test on a member of staff at Manchester Airport. Reuters -
Travel services firm Collinson are offering paid-for Covid tests at their airport locations in Manchester, East Midlands and London for passengers whose destination country require them. Reuters -
David Spicer, of travel services firm Collinson, prepares to conduct a Covid-19 test. AFP -
Travellers walk past signage directing passengers to the testing site. AFP -
Members of the public wait at Terminal 1 of Manchester Airport. AFP -
Disposable face masks are displayed for sale in Terminal 1 of Manchester Airport. AFP -
A Covid-19 test is conducted on a member of staff at Manchester Airport. AFP
It said further information would be available on the government website when the exemptions came into force.
The government had previously announced that the quarantine rules would change for all passengers on December 15, in that travellers would have the option of taking a Covid-19 test after five days of self-isolation. If the result is negative, they will then be released from self-isolation.
Penalties for those breaching the self-isolation rules when returning from non-exempt countries include £1,000 for first offences and up to £10,000 for subsequent offences.
“PHE [Public Health England] do not anticipate these changes will raise the risk of domestic transmission, due to the protocols being put in place around these exemptions, however all exemptions will remain under review.
“All travellers, including those from exempt destinations, will still be required to show a complete passenger locator form on arrival in the UK unless they fall into a small group of exemptions,” the ministry said.
