By: Sello Theletsane
The South African government is questioning the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the country on the red list.
The Department of International Relations and Cooperation said the move did not make sense as the country has seen a rapid drop in the number of Covid-19 infections and the vaccination drive has picked up momentum.
The department said thousands of families and business people in South Africa and the UK were shocked at continued exclusion.
“We firmly believe there is no reasonable basis for keeping South Africa on the red list, and I am very disappointed,” Minister Naledi Pandor said.
She added that her department was working with other stakeholders to intensify efforts to have South Africa removed from the list. She said she was optimistic that the Government of the UK would finally realise that their decision is not harming just the tourism industry but other businesses from both countries.
Another shocking move by the UK government was the announcement that those coming from the red-listed countries would be classified as unvaccinated, even if they had received their jabs.
“Travel from red list countries remains the same, whether fully vaccinated or not. Travellers who have been in a country or territory on the red list in the last 10 days will only be allowed to enter the UK if they are British or Irish nationals or have residence rights in the UK,” it said.
Before they travel to England, they must:
- Take a pre-departure Covid-19 test – to be taken in the 3 days before they travel to England;
- Book a quarantine hotel package, including 2 Covid-19 tests;
- Complete the passenger locator form – any time in the 48 hours before they arrive in England;
- When they arrive in England, they must quarantine in a managed hotel, including 2 Covid-19 tests.
The move has also raised a lot of questions among those in government. Some are questioning why those vaccinated would be classified as unvaccinated, especially as the very same UK government donated some of the vaccines that have been used in the African countries.
“It doesn’t make sense at all. If the UK government has fears regarding vaccine passports being forged or people lying, they should raise that with the World Health Organisation to seek the best method to manage the process,” said a source.
Some of the UK’s new rules:
From 4am Monday 4 October, if you have been fully vaccinated for at least 14 days:
under an approved vaccination program in the UK, Europe, US or UK vaccine programme overseas with a full course of the Oxford/AstraZeneca, Pfizer BioNTech, Moderna or Janssen vaccines from a relevant public health body in Australia, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Bahrain, Brunei, Canada, Dominica, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, Malaysia, New Zealand, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea or Taiwan – mixing between two-dose vaccines (Oxford/AstraZeneca, Pfizer BioNTech, Moderna) in this list is also recognised under a formally approved COVID-19 vaccine clinical trial in the US, Canada and Australia and have a proof of participation (digital or paper-based) from a public health body
You must:
book and pay for a day 2 COVID-19 test – to be taken after arrival in England
complete your passenger locator form – any time in the 48 hours before you arrive in England take a COVID-19 test on or before day 2 after you arrive in England
You do not need to:
take a pre-departure test
take a day 8 COVID-19 test
quarantine at home or in the place you are staying for 10 days after you arrive in England
- You must be able to prove that you have been fully vaccinated (plus 14 days) with a document (digital or paper-based) from a national or state-level public health body that includes, as a minimum: forename and surname(s) date of birth vaccine brand and manufacturer date of vaccination for every dose country or territory of vaccination and/or certificate issuer
- If your document from a public health body does not include all of these, you must follow the non-vaccinated rules. If not, you may be denied boarding.
- If you are fully vaccinated in the US, will also need to prove that you are a resident of the US.
If you are fully vaccinated but do not qualify under these fully vaccinated rules, you must follow the non-vaccinated rules.
Travel from red countries
From 4am Monday 4 October, you must follow these rules if you are:
fully vaccinated, partially vaccinated
not vaccinated
- If you have been in a country or territory on the red list in the last 10 days, you will only be allowed to enter the UK if you are a British or Irish national or you have residence rights in the UK.
Before you travel to England, you must:
- Take a pre-departure COVID-19 test – to be taken in the 3 days before you travel to England book a quarantine hotel package, including 2 COVID-19 tests
- Complete your passenger locator form – any time in the 48 hours before you arrive in England When you arrive in England, you must quarantine in a managed hotel, including 2 COVID-19 tests.
