International arrivals section at Heathrow Airport, London. IMG Source: Toby Melville, REUTERS

The United Kingdom announced that the Philippines, will no longer be on its travel "red-list" due to COVID-19. The UK imposed travel restrictions on the Philippines this April due to the country's surge in COVID-19 cases. The travel restriction was also placed in order to prevent the spread of more contagious variants in the UK.

A total of 47 countries will be cut from the UK's list stating on October 11, 2021. From its initial list of 54 countries, only 7 countries remain on the UK's travel "red-list" due to COVID-19. These countries include Peru, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Panama.

As the announcement was made, the British Embassy in Manila issued specific guidelines to traveling to the UK. The Embassy noted that fully vaccinated travelers from the Philippines will no longer be required to stay at a quarantine hotel. However, these passengers must take a COVID-19 test on or before their second day of arrival in the UK. Passenger locator and proof of vaccination forms must also be uploaded online 48 hours before their arrival in the UK.

Passengers who do not qualify as fully vaccinated must go through more stringent restrictions. These passengers must present negative COVID-19 tests 78 hours before their arrival time. Additionally, they must quarantine for a total of10 days. Within this 10 day quarantine, passengers must complete COVDI-19 tests on their second and eight days after arrival.