INTERNATIONAL travel restrictions will begin to ease in Scotland next month after all four UK nations came to an agreement.
Nicola Sturgeon was giving an update on Scotland’s current Covid situation today in Holyrood when she announced the news.
Alongside the easing of restrictions for international travel, the First Minister also said that workers can begin a ‘phased return’ to office spaces from January 31.
READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon confirms workers to begin 'phased return' to offices from January 31
As of February 11, fully vaccinated travellers arriving in Scotland and the rest of the UK will no longer be required to carry out a lateral flow test (LFT).
However, they will still need to fill out a passenger locater form when arriving in the country.
For unvaccinated people travelling into Scotland, they will be required to take a pre-departure Covid test no less than two days before flying into the country.
Unvaccinated travellers will also be required to take a day two PCR test.
However, Ms Sturgeon emphasised that although travel restrictions are being eased, it does not rule out the Scottish Government re-imposing new measures if the Covid situation in Scotland worsens.
The First Minister said this scenario would be ‘likely’ in the face of a new variant surfaces which is similar to Omicron.
She said: “While these changes will be very welcome to travellers and to the travel industry it is important and responsible to point out that no government can completely rule out having to tighten travel requirements again if certain circumstances arise.
“This would most obviously be if a new variant were to arise.
“But for now, and hopefully for the long term it is really positive that these measures can be lifted. It opens the way for family reunions, the prospects of overseas holidays and of course the much-needed support for the travel sector.”
During Ms Sturgeons Covid update the previous week, it had been announced that in order to be considered fully vaccinated, people would now need to have their booster to complete their vaccine passport status.
However, this doesn’t seem to apply for international travel. In order to be considered fully vaccinated under the Scottish Government’s Covid passport scheme when travelling internationally, the first two doses will remain the requirement.
The First Minister said during her update today that this will remain under review.
She said: “For international travel purposes, people are deemed to be fully vaccinated if they have completed a primary course of vaccination. For most people that means two doses.
“This international definition which doesn’t currently require boosters or a third dose of the vaccine will be kept under review.”
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