Travel across and out of England saw a major turning point on May 17th, when hotels and holiday accommodation were allowed to open to two households at a time. This meant that hotels such as the Montcalm Hotel Shoreditch London were allowed to open their doors to more travellers than just key workers. Of course, there are still measures in place for guests and strict social distancing rules, but this opened up the possibility of future restriction easings before the end of 2021.
Thankfully for many tourist-focused businesses, the day is almost upon them (at the time of writing) that even fewer restrictions will be enforced on businesses. Those from abroad who wish to take a London city break UK will find that there are even more options for their stay, and fewer restrictions to worry about. However, the easing of restrictions will come with a few caveats and contingencies. This blog will outline what tourists planning to visit England and more specifically, London, should know about what the easing of lockdown entails and means for their visit.
Treatment Of Travellers From Amber List Countries
Amber list countries in general, are countries where the infection rate per 100,000 is over 20. Most countries in the world are on the amber list and whilst the infection rate may be falling or rising, July 19th will see some significant changes for those visiting from or travelling back from these countries.
Visitors returning from amber list countries to the UK will no longer have to quarantine for 10 days if they have been fully vaccinated. Come 19th of July, these visitors will only have to show proof of a negative test on their arrival and take a second test on their second day in the country. These visitors will still have to fill out a passenger locator form, which helps the government’s health department monitor infection rates and outbreaks, but no longer will they have to quarantine in a government-sanctioned hotel as red list countries do. This means much more time spent enjoying your last minute hotel deals in London without the worries of self-isolation and test-taking!
August 16th changes
There will be even more changes taking place on August 16th. As stage 4 of lockdown easing is well underway, August 16th is set to see anyone over 18 who has been contact traced to someone suffering from coronavirus no longer having to self isolate if they’ve received both doses of their vaccine. This is great news for travellers visiting England and especially London, where contact tracing has forced many to change their plans due to COVID exposure. Many can now sample London cuisine at Finsbury Square restaurants, enjoy the London nightlife and soak in London theatre and music without worrying about coming into contact with a COVID sufferer.
Transport May Still Maintain Restrictions
It’s important to remember that many of the restrictions being allowed to ease, such as social distancing and mask-wearing, don’t necessarily mean that companies WILL ease them. The spread of the delta variant throughout London means that the best hotels for staycations in London, public transport services and other businesses may still enforce mask-wearing protocols and hand sanitisation to ensure that the risks of spreading the virus and potentially having to shut down businesses are well and truly minimised. If you are a visitor to London, make sure to keep this in mind when visiting, and maintain vigilance and caution as lockdown easing commences.
