Like those coming from ‘red list’ countries, travellers from countries rated ‘amber’ must also quarantine for ten days on arrival in the UK. However, there is no requirement to do this in a government-sanctioned hotel: you can self-isolate at home or in the place you’re staying.
Before you arrive, you must complete a passenger locator form, then bring a negative Covid-19 test with you to border checks (it must be from within the past 72 hours). If you don’t bring a negative test, you may not be able to continue your journey and you could be fined £500 on arrival – all of which means you should double-check you will be able to take a test in your destination before you set out.
The third (and final) requirement is that you must book and pay for tests to take on days two and eight of your home quarantine period. A full list of approved sellers available on the British government’s website, with most travel testing kits costing between £170 and £240 a go.
It’s also worth remembering that the ‘test to release’ scheme is valid for travel from ‘amber list’ countries, as long as you are in England. This means that you can leave quarantine after day five if you take another private Covid-19 test and it comes back negative. But even if you have reentered society, you’ll still have to take another test three days later – just in case.
It all means travellers from ‘amber list’ countries could have to quarantine for as little as five days – and get to do it in a location of their choosing, instead of the UK government-mandated hotel costing £2,285.
Additionally, under-18s do not have to self-isolate. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, under-11s don’t have to test before travel, but do need to take one two days after arrival. Under-5s don’t need to test.
Fully vaccinated? It depends…
If you’ve received both doses of the jab, you’re now allowed to avoid quarantine on your return from ‘amber list’ countries. Vaccinated travellers will still need to pay for Covid-19 tests before and after their return, while all under-18s will be exempt from quarantine regardless of whether they have had the jab.
Previously this exemption had applied only to those fully vaccinated by the NHS. But as of August 2 those who have been jabbed in the USA and EU will also be able to skip quarantine in England, Scotland and Wales (as long as they have received a vaccine approved by the UK).
Unfortunately, those vaccinated in Bangladesh are not included – so it won’t make a difference.
Source: United News of Bangladesh