The United Kingdom government stated Wednesday that tourists from the United States and the European Union who have been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus will soon be able to visit England without having to quarantine.

The move comes after the UK government lifted quarantine requirements for fully vaccinated English residents who visited countries on the so-called amber list with less serious Covid-19 situations on July 19.

Both announcements bring welcome relief to airlines and the broader tourism industry, which has been hurt hard by Covid restrictions. Supported by recent rulings, the European travel and leisure industry traded higher on Wednesday. During afternoon trades in London, EasyJet and British Airways’ parent company were up more than 4%.

The quarantine exemption will be implemented beginning Monday, according to UK Transport Minister Grant Shapps. It comes as the US is loosening some of its social restrictions.

The changes, according to Shapps, would apply to persons who are completely vaccinated and have received a shot that has been approved in the United States or Europe. Travelers would still be required to take the standard pre-departure test prior to arrival and a PCR test on day two of their return to England.

Due to the rapid spread of the delta variety, the Biden administration announced this week that it will maintain travel restrictions, including a ban on most non-U.S. citizens entering the United States from the United Kingdom. The CDC and the State Department raised its travel advisories for the United Kingdom to the highest level last week, advising citizens to avoid visiting the country.

The trend has angered airline executives, who had hoped that the United States would relax travel restrictions during the prime summer travel season. JetBlue Airways CEO Robin Hayes said on Tuesday that the carrier would commence flights between New York and London on August 11 as scheduled, but that the number of flights would likely be reduced in September.

Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on Tuesday that even fully vaccinated Americans should once again wear masks indoors. This comes as a result of growing worries about Covid variants, particularly delta, which is notorious for having greater infection rates.

– India’s new age travel digital media

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