Travel news update for November 9, 2021 (on a global scale)
The UK government has announced that three more vaccines will be added to the list of approved vaccines for travelers entering England. Starting from 4am on Monday 22 November, Sinovac, Sinopharm Beijing, and Covaxin will be recognized at the border. This decision follows the recommendation from the Chinese authorities and expands the list of accepted vaccines, which already includes Oxford/AstraZeneca, Moderna, Pfizer BioNTech, and Janssen (Johnson and Johnson). Under-18s arriving in England from non-red list countries will be treated as fully vaccinated at the border and will be exempt from self-isolation requirements on arrival, day 8 testing, and pre-departure testing. However, the policy does not specify any requirements for travellers from red list countries or those with mixed vaccine doses from different vaccines on the WHO's Emergency Use Listing. The policy applies to passengers travelling to England only, not the entire UK. It's also important to note that it does not mention any specific exemptions for individuals with certain medical conditions or disabilities. The process involves a review of quality, safety, and efficacy data performed by experts. The UK government continues to keep its measures under review and will act if it perceives a risk to public health. The recognition of these vaccines will benefit fully vaccinated people from various countries around the world. Many countries, including the United States, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and Iceland, are already recognizing these vaccines. The UK government works closely with the devolved administrations on any changes to international travel to ensure a whole approach. The policy does not specify any requirements for travellers who have recovered from COVID-19 within a certain timeframe. Travellers with proof of vaccination from over 135 countries and territories in scope of the policy will not have to self-isolate on arrival or take a pre-departure test, and only need to take a lateral flow device test post-arrival (with confirmatory if positive). The government continues to encourage all eligible individuals to get vaccinated, as it remains the best way to protect against COVID-19 and its variants. For the latest travel advice and updates, travellers are advised to check the official government website.
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