Covid-19: US reopens border to UK travellers after almost two years

• Posted on November 8, 2021November 8, 2021
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

UK visitors are now able to travel to the US for the first time in nearly two years.

The border reopened at 05:01 GMT and the first flights took off from Heathrow at 08:50. All UK visitors over 18 have to provide proof of vaccination to enter the US. 

American travellers have been able to travel to the UK since 28 July. 

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has called this a “significant moment” for UK-US travel. 

Transatlantic flights, he added, are “at the heart of UK aviation”.

In addition to the UK, the travel ban is being lifted for people from Brazil, China, India, Ireland, South Africa, Iran and the Schengen countries – a group of 26 European nations.

Until Monday, only US citizens, residents and a small selection of other exempt groups have been allowed entry to the US from the UK. 

The new rules apply to all individuals that have received vaccines approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and vaccines Listed for Emergency Use (EUL) by the World Health Organization. 

The White House’s assistant press secretary, Kevin Munoz, confirmed on 15 October that double vaccinated foreign nationals would be able to visit the US from 8 November. 

The UK has been on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s highest risk category for Covid, level 4 or “very high” since 19 July.

The CDC

 said that vaccines approved by the US FDA and WHO’s EUL vaccines will be accepted. Therefore, travellers that have received one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine or two doses of the following vaccines will be allowed to enter the US:

• Pfizer-BioNTech
• Moderna 
• AstraZeneca,
• Covaxin
• Covishield
• BIBP/Sinopharm
• Sinovac

Travellers must provide proof of vaccination via their vaccine passport. Certificates including the NHS Covid Pass are accepted. 

As well as being double vaccinated, travellers will have to provide proof of either a negative Covid test result – taken no more than three days before travelling – or show that they have recovered from the virus in the previous three months.

Children are exempt from the vaccination requirement, but all those aged between two and 17 will have to take a Covid-19 test three to five days after arrival.

Fully jabbed American visitors travelling to the UK need to take a test on or before the second day of their arrival. 

After a difficult 21 months, airlines have increased UK-US flight schedules to meet the higher demand. 

To celebrate the end of the travel ban, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic had a synchronised departure at 08:50 GMT from London Heathrow.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, BA chief executive, Sean Doyle said: “We must now look forward with optimism, get trade and tourism back on track and allow friends and families to connect once again.”

-BBC