(Adds details of airline vaccine status trial)
July 6 (Reuters) - Fully vaccinated travellers arriving from
countries on Britain's "amber list" for international travel
during the COVID-19 pandemic are set to avoid quarantine from as
early as July 19, British media reported on Tuesday.
The Times newspaper said government ministers would meet
this week to approve a policy that will allow people to travel
from amber destinations on the three-tier traffic-light system
without isolating for up to 10 days.
At present, travellers arriving from a country on the amber
list, which includes top tourist destinations Spain, France, the
United States and Italy, are required to isolate on arrival.
The Sun said Transport Secretary Grant Shapps would unveil
the rule change on Thursday, and reported that travellers will
be required to take a test before they return to Britain and
then a PCR test on the second day of return.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson set out plans on Monday
for the final step in easing England's COVID-19 lockdown,
including the removal of laws governing social distancing and
face coverings, and an end to official advice to work from home.
The government did not immediately comment on
Wednesday.
Seeking to convince the government that scrapping quarantine
for vaccinated travellers is logistically possible, British
Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Heathrow Airport are set
this week to start checking the vaccine status of passengers
arriving on flights into Britain.
After over 15 months of travel restrictions, airlines and
the travel industry want Britain to relax strict rules which
have kept its finances in the doldrums.
"The trial aims to reassure government that airlines and
airports can check vaccine status upstream and away from the
border, ensuring no further pressure in UK immigration halls,"
the three companies said in a statement on Wednesday.
Passengers will use airline apps to verify their vaccine
status.
ABTA, the UK industry body representing 4,300 travel brands,
has also urged the government to make good on proposals to relax
quarantine rules for fully vaccinated individuals visiting
countries on the amber list.
(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru; additional reporting
by Sarah Young, Editing by Sandra Maler and Timothy Heritage)