Health
Covid-19: France to relax travel rules from the UK
France will relax its restrictions for those travelling from the UK from Friday, the government has announced.
Vaccinated travellers will no longer need a compelling reason to enter France or self-isolate when they arrive.
However a negative Covid-19 test, taken 24 hours before leaving the UK, will be required, vaccinated or not.
France brought in the restrictions on 18 December in an attempt to slow the spread of the Omicron variant.
Non-vaccinated travellers will still need a compelling reason to enter France, and must still isolate for 10 days upon arrival.
The country is still battling a surge in Covid-19 infections. On Thursday, there were a record 368, 817 new cases and 341 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University.
France tightened its restrictions earlier this month, making remote working compulsory for those who can, and limiting public gatherings for indoor events. Eating and drinking on long distance transport is banned, cafés and bars can provide table service only and nightclubs are closed.
On Thursday, the French Senate approved a controversial pass, which requires people to be fully vaccinated to visit a range of spaces, including bars and restaurants. It also removes the option of showing a negative test to get in.
Thousands protested against the pass on Saturday, with many angry at President Emmanuel Macron who has said he wants to “piss off” unvaccinated citizens.
In total, 12.6 million people have been infected in France, and more than 127,000 have died.
