NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 8 – Fully vaccinated travelers from Kenya will no longer have to quarantine in the United Kingdom after the nation cleared coronavirus vaccine certification from some overseas countries including Kenya.
A statement from the British high Commission on Thursday said that the earlier COVID-19 travel guidelines which required all travelers to take a COVID-19 test and mandatory quarantine, will no longer apply to fully vaccinated Kenyan travelers effective Monday.
“We are pleased to announce that from Monday 11 October, those vaccinated in Kenya will be able to travel to the UK without having to undertake any quarantine, or take a COVID-19 test before departure. Thanks to our strong partnership with the Ministry of Health, we have completed the process to recognize vaccine certificates from Kenya,” a spokesperson for the British High Commission said.
The UK said that the move will play a key role in boosting trade and tourism between the two nations which has been greatly impacted by the global pandemic.
“This is great news for our peoples, Kenya-UK trade, and the tourism sector as we move closer to getting back to normal,” the spokesperson added.
While thanking Kenya’s Ministry of Health for its cooperation and the strides made in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, the British High Commissioner to Kenya, Jane Marriott said that the move is a great step towards economic recovery.
“This is excellent news for our peoples, businesses and tourists after a tough 18 months. I’d like to express my huge thanks to the Ministry of Health and Health Cabinet Secretary Kagwe for their strong cooperation to make this possible. It has allowed us to deliver on the commitment I made in a joint statement with CS Kagwe on 21 September, just over two weeks ago.”
According to the UK’s transport department, anyone who arrives in England fully vaccinated must take a COVID-19 test on or before the second day of their arrival.
The department further requires travelers to book the test before they travel.
The department adds that if a traveler will stay in England for less than two days, they still need to book and pay for a day 2 COVID-19 test.
Kenya was removed from the UK red list on September 18 in revised coronavirus travel regulations.
The UK announced that the new changes in regards to travel restrictions would take effect from September 22 at 4am.
UK’s Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the country will be revising the vaccination regulations in the country to ease travel, which will allow fully vaccinated travelers into the UK without taking COVID-19 tests, beginning October 4.
“We’re making testing easier for travel from Mon 4 Oct, if you’re fully vaccinated you won’t need a pre-departure test before arrival into England from a non-red country and from later in Oct, will be able to replace the day 2 PCR test with a cheaper lateral flow,” Shapps said.
Bangladesh, Egypt, the Maldives, Oman, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Turkey were also struck off the red list.
Effective October 4, England began to welcome fully vaccinated travellers from a host of new countries – who will be treated like returning fully vaccinated UK travellers – including 17 countries and territories such as Japan and Singapore, following the success of pilot program with the US and Europe, the Transport Department indicated.