UK relaxes travel restrictions for fully vaccinated Malaysians

PETALING JAYA: The United Kingdom announced a major relaxation for those who are fully vaccinated to travel in and out of England, and Malaysians are set to benefit.

On its official website, it said international travel rules to England will change from the red, amber, green traffic light system to a single red list of countries from Oct 4.

It has also simplified travel measures for arrivals from the rest of the world.

Malaysia is included in an expanded list of 17 countries with vaccines that are recognised in England.

It said the full course of the AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Moderna or Janssen vaccines from a relevant public health body are accepted, including the mixing between two doses of the vaccines is also recognised.

Fully vaccinated travellers from these additional 17 countries, which also include Japan, New Zealand and Singapore, would no longer be required to undergo a pre-departure PCR test for travelling into England.

They only need to book and pay for a post-arrival Covid-19 test to be taken on the second day after arriving in England with no requirement for self-quarantine after arrival.

Those who failed to show proof, either digital or paper-based, that they have been fully vaccinated would have to follow the non-vaccinated rules.

Testing for unvaccinated travellers from the other 17 countries include a pre-departure test, day-2 and day-8 PCR tests and self-quarantine for 10 days after arrival.

All travellers are also required to fill in a passenger locator form within 48 hours before arriving in England.

Several of the red list countries include Cuba, Indonesia, Myanmar, Pakistan, the Philippines, Thailand and Venezuela.

Travellers from red-list countries would have to go through stricter travel rules. More information on the changes to international travel rules in the United Kingdom can be found here.