Adar Poonawalla thanks UK PM Johnson after quarantine requirements eased for vaccinated travellers

Serum Institute CEO Adar Poonawalla has thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson after the UK Government announced no quarantine for fully vaccinated Indian travellers in the UK from October 11. 

Poonawalla tweeted, "Thank you, Shri @narendramodi Ji and PM @BorisJohnson. This is a great example of the close relationship between our two countries, No quarantine for travellers post-October 11, if you are double vaccinated with COVISHIELD!." 

Indian passengers who are fully vaccinated with Covishield, or any other UK-approved vaccine, will not be quarantined when they arrive in Britain from October 11, the British High Commissioner to India Alex Ellis said on Thursday, ending a row over what was perceived as an unfair imposition of Covid-19 quarantine rules. 

A British High Commission spokesperson said the UK has further opened up international travel and will recognise India's vaccine certification system from October 11. 

"From Monday, a traveller from India to the UK, double jabbed with Covishield or another vaccine recognised by the UK regulator does not have to be quarantined. It will be easier and cheaper to enter the UK. This is great news," Ellis said in a video statement. He also thanked the Indian government for close cooperation on the matter over the last month. 

Separately, the UK issued a fresh travel advisory and said the "red list" will reduce to seven countries and "proof of vaccination will be recognised from 37 new countries and territories including India from 4 am on Monday. 

In its advisory, the UK said eligible travellers vaccinated in the 37 countries and territories will be "treated the same as returning fully vaccinated UK residents, so long as they have not visited a red list country or territory in the 10 days before arriving in England." Eligible vaccinated passengers arriving from the rest of the world countries only need to take a day two test in England. 

British officials had earlier said that the issue was not with the vaccine itself but the issues with India's "vaccination certification" process. 

The announcement came hours after India said it is hopeful of finding a solution to the vaccine certification row.