As part of changes to the Island’s safer travel policy due to come into force tomorrow, England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland will be classed as single regions, rather than broken down at local authority and lower tier levels as they have been previously.
England and Wales will be broadly green from tomorrow, along with Guernsey and the Isle of Man, meaning arrivals from those places will only have to isolate until their day-zero test result.
Scotland and Northern Ireland will be amber, requiring isolation until the result of a day-five test.
However, 15 areas which have seen rising cases and concerns over the Indian variant have been classified as red, comprising ten in England and five in Scotland. These are mostly areas in the north of England, such as Bolton, and the Scottish central belt, including Glasgow.
Chief Minister John Le Fondré said the decision to change the system had been made ‘based on factors including public health risk, the excellent vaccination progress both locally and in the UK, and the short- and long-term economic impact to the Island’.
Around 46% of Islanders over the age of 18 are now fully vaccinated and will be eligible for reduced testing and isolation requirements when returning to Jersey under new vaccination passport rules. The government said there would be at least 48 hours’ notice given before emergency brakes were put in place, with red classifications remaining in place for a minimum of 14 days.
Red arrivals need to isolate for ten days and take three tests.
Senator Le Fondré said: ‘The revised policy will provide greater clarity and confidence for Islanders and visitors, as well as supporting connectivity with the UK and other destinations over the summer months.’
There were six active cases recorded in the Island yesterday, with one case having recovered and no new cases identified.
Updates to Common Travel Area classifications will be posted weekly on a Thursday and come into effect on a Tuesday.
International travel also resumes from Friday, with Jersey’s government mirroring the UK government’s classifications, meaning places such as Portugal, Israel and Iceland will be classed as green. However, jurisdictions with which Jersey has direct connections, including France, the Republic of Ireland, Madeira and Majorca, will be assessed on a Jersey government basis. This includes a regional approach for France and Ireland.
Following yesterday’s government announcement, CI Travel Group said it would be restarting direct flights from the Island to Majorca, given its green status, from 5 June.
Previously announced changes to testing for green arrivals and the implementation of ‘green light’ vaccine status are also due to come into force on Friday. From that date, green arrivals will be tested on days zero and eight, and travellers who were fully vaccinated within the CTA (arriving from green or amber zones) will only require an arrival test and will not need to isolate while waiting for the result.
Testing arrangements for those travelling from amber (unless fully vaccinated) and red areas remain the same. Meanwhile, a children’s safer travel policy (which starts on 7 June) means all under-18s travelling from green or amber regions will be classed as green.
Those under 11 arriving from a green or amber region will not have to undergo testing or fill out a pre-travel registration form. Young people aged 11 to 17 will undergo a PCR test on arrival and day eight, and isolate until their first test result.
Speaking following the travel announcement, Les Ormes managing director Mike Graham said he was confident guests planning to stay at the St Brelade resort would not be affected by the last-minute changes.
Mr Graham said most guests to the resort came from England, which was classed as green as a whole, with the exception of the ten ‘emergency brake’ red areas.
15 ‘emergency brake’ areas
England
- Bedford
- Blackburn with Darwen
- Bolton
- Burnley
- Kirklees
- Leicester
- North Tyneside
- Hounslow
- Hyndburn
- Rossendale
Scotland
- Clackmannanshire
- East Renfrewshire
- Glasgow City
- East Dunbartonshire
- Renfrewshire
