Covid-19: UK govt retains Pakistan on travel red list

LONDON: Pakistan continues to remain on the red list as United Kingdom (UK) government updated its travel advisory for countries barred from flying into the Kingdom.

According to the latest update, seven countries, namely, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Switzerland, and the Azores will move into the green list starting 4 am on Monday, August 30.

Travellers from these destinations will not have to quarantine regardless of whether they are fully vaccinated, but will still need to take pre-departure and day 2 tests and complete a passenger locator form.

Thailand and Montenegro will be added to the red list from 4am on Monday 30 August 2021, reflecting the increased case rates in these countries and the higher risk that travel from these countries poses to UK public health.

READ: BRITISH MPS CRITICISE UK GOVT FOR KEEPING PAKISTAN ON ‘RED LIST’, PROMOTING INDIA TO AMBER

“The high rates combined with lower levels of published genomic surveillance in Thailand and Montenegro than other countries mean that an outbreak of a new variant or existing variants of concern (VOC) or variants under investigation (VUI) cannot be easily identified before it is imported and seeded across the UK,” it said in a statement.

Passengers arriving in the UK from these red list destinations will need to isolate for 10 days in a managed quarantine facility and follow the necessary testing requirements.

The data for all countries will be kept under review and the government will not hesitate to take action should the data show that countries’ risk ratings have changed.