The U.K. government has taken the decision to ban travel to the U.K. from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Burundi and Rwanda to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus variant originally identified in South Africa into the U.K.
From 1pm on Friday January 29, passengers who have been in, or transited through, the United Arab Emirates, Burundi and Rwanda in the last ten days will no longer be granted access to the U.K.
This does not include British and Irish nationals, or third-country nationals with residence rights in the U.K., who will be able to enter the U.K. but who are now required to self-isolate for ten days at home, along with their household. There will also be a ban on direct passenger flights from the UAE.
The decision to ban travel from these destinations follows the discovery of a new coronavirus variant first identified in South Africa, that may have spread to other countries, including the UAE, Burundi and Rwanda. Any exemptions usually in place will not apply, including for business travel.