India has been added to a “red list” of countries from which most travel to the UK is banned, over fears of a new Covid variant, the health secretary has said.
From 04:00 BST on Friday 23 April, most people who have travelled from India in the last 10 days will be refused entry.
British or Irish passport holders, or people with UK residence rights, will be allowed in but must quarantine in a government-approved hotel for 10 days.
Matt Hancock said there had been 103 UK cases of the India variant.
In a statement to the House of Commons on Monday, the health secretary said the vast majority of the cases of the new variant had been linked to international travel.
He said test samples had been analysed to see if the new variant had any “concerning characteristics” such as greater transmissibility or resistance to treatments and vaccines.
He told MPs: “After studying the data, and on a precautionary basis, we’ve made the difficult but vital decision to add India to the red list.”
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps tweeted the move was to ensure “we don’t lose our hard-won progress on the vaccine rollout”.
All travellers returning to the UK must fill out a passenger locator form in advance, including details of their departure country and UK address.
They must also show proof of a negative Covid test taken within 72 hours before travelling to be allowed entry to the UK.
In England, a stay in a quarantine hotel costs £1,750 per passenger travelling alone to cover transport, tests, food and accommodation.
Every additional adult, or child over 12, must pay £650, while children aged five to 12 pay £325.
Returning travellers must take a Covid test on days two and eight of quarantine, at a cost of £210. If they test positive, they must self-isolate for a further 10 days.
Rule-breakers face strict penalties – including prison sentences of up to 10 years.
Mr Hancock said there had also been 557 cases of the South Africa variant found in the UK since December, with a “cluster” of cases in south London and isolated cases in Barnet, Birmingham and Sandwell over the last week.
While around two-thirds were related to international travel, there had been a “small amount” of community transmission, he added.
He said the government was “ramping up” plans for a booster shot to ensure vaccines stayed “ahead of the virus”.
Responding to a question from shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth, Mr Hancock said that surge Covid testing will happen in areas where cases of the India variant have been identified.
Labour’s Yvette Cooper, chairwoman of the Home Affairs Committee, questioned why India was not put on the red list sooner before adding: “Hong Kong this week have identified 47 Covid cases just on a single Delhi flight and we have still 16 more direct flights, many more indirect flights from India to here before Friday alone.”
Mr Hancock responded by saying that decisions on each country were “kept under constant review”.
- LOOK-UP TOOL: How many cases in your area?
- LOCKDOWN RULES: What are they and when will they end?
- SOCIAL DISTANCING: How can I meet my friend safely?
The announcement came after Prime Minister Boris Johnson cancelled a planned trip to India, which had been due to take place on 26 April, amid rising cases there.
India has been reporting more than 200,000 cases daily since 15 April. Its capital Delhi has announced a week-long lockdown after a record spike in cases overwhelmed the city’s healthcare system.
It comes as the UK recorded four deaths within 28 days of a positive coronavirus test, according to the latest government figures.
It is the lowest daily figure since 7 September, although the number of deaths recorded on Mondays and over the weekend tend to be lower because of reporting delays.
The data also showed there were also 2,963 new infections. Meanwhile, more than 10m people in the UK received a second dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, and nearly 33 million people have had their first dose.
- JUST ONE THING TO REDUCE YOUR STRESS?: Why a cold shower might have a positive impact
- LONG COVID: What does it feel like to lose your sense of smell and taste for months?
You can receive Breaking News on a smartphone or tablet via the BBC News App. You can also follow @BBCBreaking on Twitter to get the latest alerts.
Are you trying to travel to India from the UK? Or are you in India trying to reach the UK? Get in touch by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways:
- WhatsApp: +44 7756 165803
- Tweet: @BBC_HaveYourSay
- Please read our terms & conditions and privacy policy
If you are reading this page and can’t see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission.