Oman and Qatar have been added to England’s red list of countries, meaning a ban will be put on commercial and private planes travelling from those countries from Friday.
Ethiopia and Somalia were also added to the red list, which also includes the UAE, while Portugal (including Madeira and the Azores) and Mauritius will be removed.
The move aims to protect England against new variants of coronavirus at a critical time for the vaccine programme, a statement said.
With over 24 million vaccinations delivered in the UK so far, the move will help to reduce the risk of new variants – such as those first identified in South Africa and Brazil – entering England, it added.
From 4 a.m. on Friday, visitors who have departed from or transited through Oman and Qatar in the previous 10 days will be refused entry into England.
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Only British and Irish citizens, or those with residence rights (including long-term visa holders), will be allowed to enter and must stay in a government-approved facility for 10 days.
During their stay, they will be required to take a coronavirus test on day two and day 8.
“The government has made it consistently clear it will take decisive action if necessary to contain the virus and has taken the decision to add these destinations to the red list,” the statement said.
“The government continues to work with the hospitality sector to ensure it is ready to meet any increased demand – with over 58,000 rooms on standby, which can be made available to book as needed,” it added.
British nationals currently in the countries on the red list should make use of the commercial options available if they wish to return to England.
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