Test requirements if a traffic lights changes from amber to green while I'm in a country?

fabfaw

I am due to go to the Balearic islands on the 3rd June for 10 days which is currently classed as amber along with the rest of Spain. However it looks increasing likely that the Balearics will be treated separately from the mainland and classed as green from the 7th June. It is likely that this announcement will be made before we depart. So my question is when I return back to the UK will I need just a day 2 PCR test (green) or will I still need to quarantine and take a day 8 test also (amber)?

epm-84

When it's made the government announcement should make it clear when the change is effective from.  There's no guarantee it will change though, people like Paul Charles and Simon Calder making predictions doesn't guarantee it'll happen, they have predicted incorrectly before.

The simple solution would seem to be, if possible, book the tests while you are in Spain after the announcement has been made and plan for having to quarantine when you return until that announcement has been made.

Alan_Bowen

The rules that apply are those on the day you return to the UK. If its green then those rules apply but the rumours continue that there will be no changes at all at the beginning of June and the first date for change will be the 28th. So travel assuming you have to comply with amber and be surprised and delighted if you don't!

fabfaw

That would be fantastic if that is the case as it would potentially save us over £300 on test fees if classed as green. However I have just read on the gov.uk site that:
What you must do when you arrive in England from abroad depends on where you have been in the 10 days before you arrive.

And...
What you must do if you have been in an amber country or territory in the 10 days before you arrive in England.
However it does not specifically state what happens if a country changes whilst there. The above statements do seem to suggest that if the country has been amber at any point during the 10 day period then you should be treated as amber when you return 🤔

fabfaw

Alan_Bowen said:

The rules that apply are those on the day you return to the UK. If its green then those rules apply...

Can I check where you have heard/read this as this is the key information which I need to clarify. Thanks for your help

epm-84

fabfaw said:

What you must do if you have been in an amber country or territory in the 10 days before you arrive in England.
However it does not specifically state what happens if a country changes whilst there. The above statements do seem to suggest that if the country has been amber at any point during the 10 day period then you should be treated as amber when you return 🤔

Last year the Transport Secretary made an announcement at 5pm on Thursday and he gave the time the changes applied from at the time of the announcement. If it was 2am on Sunday and you had a flight arriving at 1:20am on Sunday then the old rules applied, if it arrived at 3am on Sunday then the new rules applied. Hence, the scramble for flights home when the announcements were made.

You have to fill out a Passenger Locator Form which has to say any other countries or territories you have been to in the past 10 days. So, for instance, say you fly to Barcelona on Monday, take a ferry to Menorca on Wednesday and fly back from Menorca on Sunday. Then let's say Spain is amber on your date of return but Menorca is green. The fact that you've been to Barcelona in the previous 10 days would mean you need to self-isolate until it's 10 days from the date you left mainland Spain. 

If, on the other hand Menorca goes green when you have already returned home and are 6 days in to your self-isolation period, then you would still have to complete your 10 day self-isolation.

Do note that if the place you're going to is amber when you fly out then you're going to an area which the government advises against non-essential travel. Therefore, unless you have travel insurance from a specialist provider like Staysure or Battleface that covers travel against FCDO advice then you won't be insured for the trip.

sheramber

At present   if you have been in an Amber list country within the last 10 days you have to taKe the tests and self isolate.
So, even of the change is made 7 June you would still have been in an Amber list country within   the last 10 days until the 17 June.

michael1234

sheramber said:

At present   if you have been in an Amber list country within the last 10 days you have to taKe the tests and self isolate.
So, even of the change is made 7 June you would still have been in an Amber list country within   the last 10 days until the 17 June.

I'm not sure that is the case. It depends on the interpretation of that sentence which isn't clear.

You could interpret that sentence on June 8 as follows: I have been in the Balearic islands for some of the past 10 days. These islands are green. Therefore I have been in a green country for the past 10 days.

As others have said, there were previously hard cut off points specified by the government so I think my intepretation is likely to be correct. i.e. What matters is whether it is green/amber at the time you enter the UK.
I don't know this for certain though and in any case I would not be stating something as fact if I didn't really know.

sheramber

What is not clear about the statement?
You either have been or haven't been.
it is explained here what having been in means.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/red-amber-and-green-list-rules-for-entering-england#transit-stops-in-amber-or-red-list-countries
I am stating fact of the current rules and what they mean .
No country has been down graded so we do not know when any  changes will  operate from.
 

michael1234

sheramber said:

What is not clear about the statement?
You either have been or haven't been.
it is explained here what having been in means.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/red-amber-and-green-list-rules-for-entering-england#transit-stops-in-amber-or-red-list-countries
I am stating fact of the current rules and what they mean .
No country has been down graded so we do not know when any  changes will  operate from.
 

Well that's clear then......

casjen

Cue all the Portugal panic.. though of course all affected will have taken out appropriate insurance...ay