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'Traffic light' travel system from 1 July

'Traffic light' travel system from 1 July

Friday 21 May 2021

'Traffic light' travel system from 1 July

Friday 21 May 2021


People coming to Guernsey from the Common Travel Area - which includes the UK and Jersey - will not have to self-isolate or receive a negative test on arrival from 1 July.

Work is continuing on the detail of the future travel regime, and the CCA says it is continuing to monitor global developments - such as new variants - that may impact both the rules and the timing of their introduction.

Public Health Director Dr Nicola Brink announced that the focus will shift significantly away from isolation to a jurisdiction's vaccination status.

“Our vaccine programme is moving forward quickly and we’re getting closer and closer to that tipping point when it’s no longer the border restrictions that are the main way we protect our community, it’s having a vaccinated population," said Dr Brink.

"A real change from our Covid response over past year"

"Our vaccination programme is progressing really well, with 92% of the population who are over 50 years of age having had at least one dose of vaccine.

"That’s a real change from how we’ve thought of our Covid response over the past year but it’s a really positive one as we learn to live responsibly with Covid-19 because it means travel is now a much more viable option and it doesn’t carry with it the same risks as before.

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Pictured: A table explaining Guernsey’s ‘traffic light’ travel rules and how they work alongside the UK’s.  

The new travel regime will be much more closely aligned to the UK ‘traffic light’ system, and the testing and self-isolation requirements will largely depend on whether someone has come from what the UK considers to be a GreenAmber, or Red country.

However, for arrivals coming from within the Common Travel Area there will be no testing or self-isolation requirement, although that is still subject to change. 

Civil Contingencies Authority Chairman Peter Ferbrache said: “This is a big and positive step, this will mean effectively the removal of border restrictions which have made travel very difficult for many islanders, their friends and families for many months.

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Pictured: The Common Travel Area includes the United Kingdom, the Bailiwick of Guernsey, the Bailiwick of Jersey, pictured, the Isle of Man and the Republic of Ireland.

"For countries where there is still significant concern and are therefore still considered ‘amber’ or ‘red’ by the UK, we will maintain testing and self-isolation requirements, and we will override the UK list where necessary if we have any additional concerns about any destination.

"But our vaccine protection mean it could soon be disproportionate to impose those kinds of measures for travel to the UK itself and to countries that present an extremely low risk."

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