The government have introduced temporary and precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the new COVID-19 Omicron variant in the UK that will come into force on Tuesday
These changes are outlined below.
Face Coverings
From 4am Tuesday 30 November face coverings will be compulsory in shops and other settings such as banks, post offices and hairdressers, as well as on public transport unless individuals are exempt from doing so.
Pupils in Year 7 and above in England are also advised to wear face coverings in communal areas at school.
International Travel
All travellers arriving into the country from 4am on Tuesday 30 November will be required to take a PCR test on or before day 2 and self-isolate until they have received a negative test result. These PCR tests can be purchased from private providers. Free NHS tests are not valid for this purpose.
The following countries have been added to the red list, meaning passengers returning from there must quarantine in a hotel and take two PCR tests.
- Angola
- Botswana
- Eswatini
- Lesotho
- Malawi
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- South Africa
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
Changes to isolation rules
All close contacts of anyone who has tested positive for the Omicron variant are required to isolate for 10 days regardless of whether they have been vaccinated.
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