No quarantine for Covishield vaccinated Indians travelling to UK from Oct 11
Darpan News Desk IANS, 07 Oct, 2021 12:05 PM
New Delhi, Oct 7 (IANS) Indians fully vaccinated with Covishield or any other UK-approved vaccine travelling to the UK will not have to undergo quarantine from Monday (October 11), British High Commissioner to India, Alex Ellis, said on Thursday.
Ellis tweeted, "No quarantine for Indian travellers to United Kingdom fully vaccinated with Covishield or other UK-approved vaccine from October 11. Thanks to Indian government for close cooperation over last month."
The UK travel advisory had made 10-day quarantine mandatory for Indian travellers, who have received both doses of Covishield manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII).
However, after facing criticism for different quarters, the UK travel advisory has accommodated Covishield as an approved vaccine in the UK.
The new travel advisory that was implemented on October 4 said, "Formulations of the listed vaccines -- Astra Zeneca Covishield, Astra Zeneca Vaxzevira and Moderna Takeda -- qualify as approved vaccines."
In response to the UK quarantine rules for Indians, India also imposed a 10-day mandatory quarantine for UK nationals arriving in India from October 4 onwards.
The move came as a reciprocity of the UK's decision that people vaccinated with Covishield in India will have to meet the strict mandatory quarantine rules while visiting the UK.
"The measures announced today mark the next step as we continue to open up travel and provide stability for passengers and industry while remaining on track to keep travel open for good," Britain's Secretary of State for Transport, Grant Shapps, tweeted.
The British High Commissioner to India also thanked the Indian government for cooperation over last month. As the UK has now eased the travel restrictions for vaccinated Indians to the UK, India may also take steps to reciprocate and ease the present restrictions imposed on UK travellers to India.
Referring to police action against protesting farmers in Congress-ruled Rajasthan, the BJP leader said, "Congress leaders who are very keen to visit Lakhimpur Kheri have not uttered a single word against police lathicharge on farmers in Hanumangarh, Rajasthan."
Comparisons are on in social media whether this arrest could change the Congress fortunes as after Indira Gandhi's arrest and later in the election in 1980 the Congress returned with a thumping majority.
During the 45-minute long meeting with the Home Minister, Channi also discussed the security situation of the state and demanded that the border must be sealed properly to effectively prevent the smuggling of weapons from Pakistan.
It is the largest agricultural protest to take place in India and others from around the world have also joined in, tens of thousands of farmers have camped for months on major highways to New Delhi to oppose the three laws.
On Thursday night, Shah reached to Nadda's residence and meeting between the two leaders lasted for about an hour. The Shah-Nadda meeting came after a series of events. Earlier, on Wednesday, Amarinder met Shah.
