Earlier this week Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that the latest easing of lockdown restrictions will go ahead as originally planned on Monday 17th May.
From Monday, people will be able to hug those they do not live with – for the first time in 15 months, people will also be able to meet outdoors in groups of up to 30 people and people from different households or bubbles will also be able to meet indoors socially for the first time – limited to six people or a maximum of two households or bubbles.
Pubs, restaurants and cafes will be allowed to serve customers indoors for the first time this year and cinemas and other indoor entertainment venues will be able to open their doors to the public.
International travel for leisure purposes is also back on as long as people follow the rules set out in the Government’s ‘traffic light’ system.
The traffic light system will be reviewed each three weeks, with new countries being added and removed from each of the red, amber and green lists depending on their Covid situation.
The government has issued rules that you must follow if you have been in a country or territory on the red list in the 10 days before you arrive in England and if you have been in a country or territory on the red list within the last 10 days you will only be allowed to enter the UK if you are a British or Irish National, or you have residence rights in the UK.
Travel into countries on the red list is not allowed for leisure purposes.
Here is the full list of red-list countries:
Angola
Argentina
Bangladesh
Bolivia
Botswana
Brazil
Burundi
Cape Verde
Chile
Colombia
Congo (Democratic Republic)
Ecuador
Eswatini
Ethiopia
French Guiana
Guyana
India
Kenya
Lesotho
Malawi
Maldives
Mozambique
Namibia
Nepal
Oman
Pakistan
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Qatar
Rwanda
Seychelles
Somalia
South Africa
Suriname
Tanzania
Turkey
United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Uruguay
Venezuela
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Before you travel to England you must:
- complete a passenger locator form
- take a COVID-19 test
- book a quarantine hotel package, including 2 COVID-19 tests
On arrival in England you must:
- quarantine in a managed hotel, including 2 COVID-19 tests
You must follow these rules even if you have been vaccinated.
