UK Govt Added India In 'Red List' For Travel; Ban All Arrivals From India

The Government of the UK on Monday added India into the ‘Red List’ for travel, this comes amid the huge surge of Coronavirus cases in the country.

The decision comes just after the Prime Minister Boris Johnson called off a trip to New Delhi.

Speaking to the media, the Health Secretary of UK Matt Hancock said starting from 0300 GMT on 23rd April, Friday, India was being added to Britain’s ‘Red List’ of countries, banning all arrivals from India except for the UK or Irish nationals.

He further added that the government had made the “difficult decision” to add India to the list.

National of British, Irish, and third-country only with residence rights (including long-term visa holders) will be allowed to enter the United Kingdom but will be required to quarantine for ten days in a government-approved hotel.

The UK govt has started the process of examining an Indian variant of Covid-19 to determine whether it should be considered a “variant of concern”.

Earlier this year, to protect the UK from imported cases of the Brazilian and South African variants of Covid-19 the govt has set up the ‘Red List’ concept. Till now the UK has added around 40 countries to the red list.