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Country Specific Risk of Coronavirus (COVID-19) (Update 45)

18 March 2022

From 4am on 18 March 2022, the COVID-19 rules for entering the UK from abroad changed.

All travellers to the UK, regardless of their COVID-19 vaccination status, no longer require to:

  • take pre-departure or post arrival COVID-19 tests
  • show proof of their vaccination status when arriving in the UK
  • complete a passenger locator form
  • quarantine on arrival to the UK

These rules only apply to travellers arriving in the UK. Many other countries still have restrictions in place for travellers entering their country from abroad. Therefore travellers still require to check and follow the entry requirements and rules for each of the countries they will be travelling to. Details of these can be found on the FCDO foreign travel advice pages.

The information below acts as a useful checklist for travellers to follow when planning to travel abroad during COVID-19.

Travelling abroad from the UK during COVID-19

Many countries still have rules and restrictions relating to COVID-19 in place for international travellers to be able to enter their country. These rules may vary depending on whether or not the traveller is fully vaccinated against COVID-19 using a vaccine approved by the destination country. Prior to booking travel abroad, travellers should be advised to consider all the following steps.

1. Review the FCDO foreign travel advice pages for the latest information on coronavirus, safety and security, entry requirements and travel warnings.

  • Travellers should check the advice for each of the countries they intend to travel or transit through.
  • Some countries may refuse entry to travellers from the UK if the levels of COVID-19 are high in the UK.
  • The FCDO may advise to avoid travel to a country if the level of COVID-19 there is high.

Also see the Coronavirus FAQ page for useful advice on:

  • obtaining proof of vaccination status to travel abroad
  • where travellers can obtain a COVID-19 test to travel abroad
  • travellers who have not been fully vaccinated against COVID-19
  • obtaining a negative PCR test if they recently had COVID-19 infection
  • COVID-19 recovery certificates

2.Check the risk of exposure to coronavirus (COVID-19) at their destination:

  • this will be listed under the 'Emerging Health Risks' tab of each TRAVAX country page
  • travellers should consider their risk of developing severe COVID-19 and check the availability of medical facilities at their destination (be aware that services may be overwhelmed due to COVID-19)

3: Ensure they have adequate travel insurance cover for the duration of their trip.

4: Check the UK border force rules for re- entering the UK.

5. Consider other health risks when travelling during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Travellers should be advised to review the fitfortravel country pages relevant to their destination(s) to find:

  • up to date travel health recommendations for that country
  • advice on health risks they need to be aware of at their destination
  • if they need to consider receiving any vaccinations, boosters or purchasing antimalarial tablets before they travel

All travellers should comply with local public health requirements (e.g. physical distancing, wearing of face coverings, self-isolation) in the country they are visiting and maintain good hand hygiene and respiratory hygiene measures at all times regardless of their vaccination status or if they have recovered from COVID-19 infection.

Prevention in Travellers

Detailed advice on the points to consider when planning travel including advice on reducing the risk of exposure to coronavirus (COVID-19) is available on the fitfortravel COVID-19: Health Considerations for Travel page.

Currently COVID-19 vaccines are not available solely for the purposes of travel; however, travellers should be encouraged to participate in the UK COVID-19 vaccination programme.

Travellers should be advised to always seek medical advice if they develop a fever and have recently travelled abroad and tell the health care professional about their recent travel history, particularly if they have travelled to a malaria-endemic country.