UK | COVID-19: Changes to International Travel and Coronavirus Restrictions

ENGLAND

• Remove Greece (other than specified islands) and the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia in Cyprus from the list of exempt countries and territories, from which passengers arriving in England are not required to self-isolate;
• Add Bahrain, Cambodia, Chile, Iceland, Laos, Qatar, Turks and Caicos Islands and the United Arab Emirates to that list;
• Denmark was removed from the list of exempt countries and territories (S.I. 2020/1227);
• Exemptions from the requirement to self-isolate for passengers who had been in or transited through Denmark during the 14 days preceding their arrival in England were removed, and the self-isolation requirement was extended to persons residing with such passengers (S.I. 2020/1238);
• A prohibition on the arrival of certain aircraft and vessels departing from Denmark was introduced (S.I. 2020/1239).
• Allow individuals engaged in seasonal poultry farming work to self-isolate at their accommodation, their place of work and when travelling directly between those locations

WALES

• Permit a person who is required to isolate under regulation 12A as a result of having been in Denmark, or being in the same household as a person who has been in Denmark, to leave the place where they are isolating in order to leave Wales;
• Insert a new regulation 12B into those Regulations prohibiting any aircraft or ship coming directly from Denmark from arriving in Wales except for safety reasons;
• Add Bahrain, Cambodia, Chile, Iceland, Laos, Qatar, Turks and Caicos Islands, and the United Arab Emirates to the list of exempt countries and territories;
• Remove the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia in the Island of Cyprus and all of Greece, other than the islands of Corfu, Crete, Kos, Rhodes and Zakynthos, from the list of exempt countries and territories;
• Provide that a person required not to leave the place where they are living under regulation 18A of the No. 4 Regulations (provision relating to persons who have recently been in Denmark) may leave that place in order to leave Wales;

​SCOTLAND

• changes the level of restrictions and requirements which apply in relation to the local authority areas of Fife, Angus, and Perth and Kinross. (The restrictions and requirements applicable in relation to different levels are set out in schedules 1 to 5 of the principal regulations). These areas become subject to Level 3 restrictions and requirements.
• makes special provision for the local government areas of Orkney Islands, Shetland Islands and Na h-Eileanan Siar when those areas are identified as being Level 1 areas. The special provision permits gathering indoors in private dwellings, subject to limitations.
• amends an exception to the restriction on gathering outdoors in a public place applicable to gatherings of people aged under 18 (where at least one person is aged 12 to 17). It reduces (from 15 to eight) the number of people who can attend such a gathering.
• adds to the circumstances in which gatherings are permitted outdoors in private dwelling settings (for example, gardens) in Level 0 areas. In relation to the rules for reckoning the numbers involved in gatherings in private dwellings, it also brings these into line with the rules applicable in other levels.
• adds organised activities for people aged under 18 (other than public processions) to the list of exceptions to the restriction on public gatherings outdoors in Level 4 areas.
• prohibit the provision of mobile close contact services and driving lessons and tests in respect of Level 2, 3 and 4 areas across local authority area boundaries.

• remove Greece (apart from the islands of Crete, Corfu, Kos, Rhodes and Zakynthos) from the list of exempt countries, territories and parts of countries or territories.
• remove the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia in the Island of Cyprus from the list of United Kingdom overseas territories in that schedule​.
• add ​Bahrain, Cambodia, Chile, Iceland, Laos, Qatar, The United Arab Emirates, the Turks and Caicos Islands to the list of exempt countries.

NORTHERN IRELAND

• provide for a simplified fixed penalty regime whereby the amount of a fixed penalty shall be £200 or, if paid within a period of 14 days of issue of such a notice, £100 and to provide that the recipient of a fixed penalty notice cannot be issued with another one in respect of the same offence.
• impose additional requirements in relation to food and drink, new requirements in relation to social distancing and new requirements in relation to large gatherings.
• provide district councils with the power to designate persons to enforce the No. 2 regulations and to issue a “premises improvement notice” where those responsible for premises are in breach of the No. 2 regulations

• Close contact services and driving instruction may be provided only by appointment and client information must be taken and retained for 21 days;
• Unlicenced premises providing food and drink may open between 05:00 and 20:00;
• Bars and public houses may provide an off-sales business;
• Off-sales must be in a manufacturer’s original sealed packaging.
• An error in earlier regulations is corrected and there are some technical amendments.
• No regulatory impact assessment has been prepared for these Regulations.
• No impact assessment has been prepared for these Regulations.

• Bahrain, Cambodia, Chile, Iceland, Laos, Qatar, Turks and Caicos Islands and the United Arab Emirates are included within the list of countries and territories exempt from the requirement in regulation 4 of those Regulations to self-isolate for 14 days after arrival in Northern Ireland.
• Greece, except for the islands of Corfu, Cos, Crete, Rhodes and Zakynthos and the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia in the Island of Cyprus are omitted from the list of countries and territories exempt from the requirement in regulation 4 of those Regulations to self-isolate for 14 days after arrival in Northern Ireland.