Abu Dhabi removes UK from updated travel green list

Unvaccinated travellers from the UK must quarantine for 10 days from January 3, 2022

A member of staff walks through a ward for Covid-19 patients at King's College Hospital in London. PA

A sign urging residents to wear face masks in Nottingham. People who have tested positive for the coronavirus will now be able to leave home on day seven if they have two negative tests. AP

A waiter cleans a table at an empty restaurant in London. Authorities are still urging people to stay at home amid fears over the Omicron coronavirus variant. Reuters

Passengers wearing Santa hats sit on the top deck of a tour bus as they view the Christmas lights in central London. AFP

Nurses work at a desk surrounded by Christmas decorations in a ward for Covid-19 patients at King's College Hospital. PA

Empty tables outside a restaurant in the Seven Dials district of London. Covid-19 infections have surged in recent days, authorities say. AFP

People receive a dose of a Covid-19 vaccine at a temporary clinic set up in the Titanic Exhibition Centre in Belfast. AFP

Shoppers stroll through Carnaby Street in London. AP

People, most of them without masks, skate around the Christmas tree at the Natural History Museum in London. Reuters

Health workers speak with a patient inside a vaccination centre in Liverpool. AFP

Tourists cross Westminster Bridge in London. AP

A sign outside the Natural History Museum in South Kensington, London, which has been forced to close its doors for a week due to staff shortages related to coronavirus. PA

Commuters at a quiet Waterloo Station in south London. PA

Abu Dhabi has removed the UK from its green list of travel destinations.

The decision means unvaccinated passengers from the UK must quarantine in a residence or hotel for 10 days on arrival in Abu Dhabi.

Vaccinated passengers from non-green list countries are tested on arrival and six days later. They are not required to quarantine.

The test-on-arrival at Abu Dhabi airport is free, and the day six test is free in any clinic run by the public hospital group Seha.

The updated list, which is effective from Monday, January 3, comes after a surge in Covid-19 cases in many countries, largely tied to the Omicron variant.

Dubai has separate rules, including testing on arrival from some destinations. It requires only people who test positive to quarantine.

On Saturday, the UAE government said it will ban unvaccinated Emiratis from travelling abroad from January 10. The decision was not extended to expats.

Live updates: follow the latest news on Covid-19 variant Omicron

Updated Abu Dhabi green list includes:

Albania

Algeria

Armenia

Australia

Austria

Azerbaijan

Bahrain

Belarus

Belgium

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Brazil

Bulgaria

Burma

Cambodia

Canada

China

Croatia

Cyprus

Czech Republic

Denmark

Finland

France

Georgia

Germany

Greece

Hong Kong (SAR)

Hungary

Indonesia

Iran

Iraq

Israel

Italy

Japan

Kazakhstan

Kuwait

Kyrgyzstan

Laos

Latvia

Luxembourg

Malaysia

Maldives

Morocco

Netherlands

Norway

Oman

Papua New Guinea

Philippines

Poland

Portugal

Romania

Republic of Ireland

Saudi Arabia

Serbia

Seychelles

Singapore

Slovakia

Slovenia

South Korea

Spain

Sweden

Switzerland

Syria

Taiwan, Province of China

Tajikistan

Thailand

Tunisia

Turkmenistan

Ukraine

United States of America

Uzbekistan

Yemen