UK says travellers from the UAE will now have to self-isolate for 10 days

The UK has removed the UAE from its travel corridor list as it announced further restrictions to curb the spread of Covid-19.

The UK’s Foreign Office has advised against all but essential travel to the whole of the UAE “based on the current assessment of Covid-19 risks”.

Anyone who arrives in the UK from the UAE after 4am on Tuesday will need to self-isolate for 10 days, Transport secretary Grant Shapps said on Twitter.

The LATEST data indicates we need to immediately remove the #UAE from the #TRAVELCORRIDOR list.
From 0400 Tuesday 12 Jan anyone arriving from the UAE will need to SELF-ISOLATE.

— Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP (@grantshapps) January 11, 2021

The UAE and Bahrain were added to the UK’s travel corridor two months ago, meaning visitors from there were not required to quarantine.

Read: UAE, Bahrain added to UK travel corridor removing 14-day quarantine for travellers

In a statement, the UK’s Department of Transport said: “The decision has been made following a significant acceleration in the number of imported cases, along with the number of reported new cases over the past seven days, which have risen in the UAE by 52 per cent.”

It also confirmed that passengers arriving from all international destinations, including the UAE, will be required to present a negative Covid-19 test result taken up to three days before departing for England or Scotland to help protect against new strains of coronavirus circulating internationally.

Passengers will need to present this proof to carriers, along with their passenger locator form. The UK Border Force will conduct spot checks on arrival into England to ensure that passengers are fully compliant.

“Current national restrictions do not permit international travel other than for specific reasons,” Shapps said on Twitter.

“Ignoring the rules costs lives. Inconsiderate and selfish behaviour puts others at risk and is unfair to those following the rules to beat the virus. Stay at home. Save lives,” he added.

The move comes after Scotland announced a similar decision earlier this week.

Beginning from 4am on Monday, January 11, anyone arriving from Dubai to Scotland must quarantine for 10 days. Passengers who have travelled to Scotland from Dubai since January 3 are also being asked to isolate for 10 days, starting from the date they arrived back in the country.

Read: Covid-19: Dubai placed on Scotland’s mandatory quarantine list

According to new regulations, all international travellers, with very limited exceptions, arriving into England and Scotland by air, land or sea will need to undergo a Covid-19 PCR test taken not more than 72 hours before departure, and present the negative result upon request, with failure to do so possibly attracting an on-the-spot fine of GBP500.