Covid-19: UAE dropped from UK travel corridor list

The United Arab Emirates is being removed from the UK list of travel corridors amid a spike in Covid cases.

That means anyone who arrives from the UAE after 04:00 GMT on Tuesday now needs to self-isolate for 10 days, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said.

UK officials say Covid cases have risen 52% in the UAE in the last seven days and cite "a significant acceleration in the number of imported cases".

It comes after Scotland removed the UAE city Dubai from its safe travel list.

The Foreign Office has also updated its advice to advise against all but essential travel to the emirates.

The recent lockdown restrictions imposed across the UK mean leisure travel is currently banned.

But the UAE has been in particular focus in recent weeks after a number of UK reality TV and social media stars posted photographs of themselves holidaying there before the rules came into place.

And a Celtic footballer tested positive for Covid-19 after the club took a trip to Dubai for a winter training camp.

Celtic were allowed to go as a group under exemptions for elite athletes. As a result,15 playing and coaching staff are now required to self-isolate.

Dubai was added to Scotland's travel quarantine list from 04:00 GMT on Monday - with the rule also applying retrospectively for passengers who have arrived in Scotland from the city since January 3.

The Department for Transport said the removal of the whole of the UAE from the travel corridor is being adopted by all four UK nations.

Arrivals to the UK from most destinations now have to quarantine for 10 days.

However, arrivals from some countries are exempt from the rules. Those countries make up the so-called travel corridor list.

From this week, passengers arriving by boat, train or plane, including UK nationals, must also take a Covid test up to 72 hours before leaving the country of departure.

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