UK eases travel rules, but upsets nations not on list

London, October 4

Simplified international travel rules took effect on Monday in the UK, easing quarantine and testing requirements for fully vaccinated travelers from more than 50 countries, and the Conservative government vowed it will seek to regularly expand the rules to more nations.

Still, the rules have sparked anger from many nations in the developing world, particularly India, which have been excluded from the list of countries whose vaccination programmes are accepted by the UK authorities. The New Delhi government on Friday said British citizens traveling in India would have to undergo Covid tests and 10 days of quarantine, similar to the measures imposed on Indian residents visiting the UK

As part of the new regime, Britain eased entry requirements for fully vaccinated travelers from 18 countries, including Canada, Japan and the United Arab Emirates. It builds on a pilot phase with US and most European countries that began over the summer. — AP

Auckland to gradually relax restrictions

Auckland: A roadmap was announced by New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern on Monday for the country’s largest city to move out of the Covid restrictions. She said Alert Level 3 and 4 restrictions in Auckland helped curb the Delta outbreak in seven weeks. IANS