The measure was eagerly awaited by the tourism sector, hard hit by the health crisis.
The British government announced on Friday an easing of entry requirements to England for vaccinated travelers.
From October 4, they will no longer need to perform a test before entering British soil.
Note, however: this relaxation only concerns travelers coming from a country that is not on the red list.
Another measure planned for the end of October, the PCR test required on the second day after arrival on English soil will be replaced by an antigen test "less expensive", said Minister of Transport Grant Shapps.
TRAVEL UPDATE🔊: we're making testing easier for travel 🧳💉 From Mon 4 Oct, if you're fully vax you won't need a pre-departure test before arrival into England from a non-red country and from later in Oct , will be able to replace the day 2 PCR test with a cheaper lateral flow.
- Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP (@grantshapps) September 17, 2021
Travelers who test positive will have to isolate themselves and then perform a confirmatory PCR test, at no additional cost, which will be analyzed to identify new variants. The transport minister also announced that eight countries would drop off the red list on Wednesday - which imposes a costly mandatory 10-day hotel quarantine, including Turkey, Pakistan and the Maldives. The orange list will disappear.
On the other hand, unvaccinated travelers from countries not classified in red will have to undergo PCR tests before their departure as well as on the second and eighth day after their arrival, with the possibility of making a third test to reduce the quarantine of 10 days.
Also from October 4, the British government will recognize the vaccination of 17 additional countries and territories, including Japan and Singapore.
"A boost for the travel industry"
These simplifications will allow "more people to travel, see their loved ones or do business around the world, while giving a boost to the travel industry," Minister Grant Shapps said in a statement. .
“We are now in a position to introduce a proportionate updated structure that reflects the new landscape,” he added, noting that eight in ten adults were fully vaccinated in the UK.
These provisions apply only to England, these matters falling within the competence of local governments.
Thus, the Scottish and Welsh governments have their own legislation on the matter.
Read also "A very, very worrying question": how the Delta variant became hegemonic in the United Kingdom
British Airways boss Sean Doyle praised the UK government's announcements, even calling on it to go further by "eliminating all testing for fully vaccinated travelers".