Jersey Covid-19 travel rules relaxed as vaccinations increase

People travelling to Jersey who are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 will no longer need to isolate and will only have to have one test on arrival.

The change is one of a range of measures being introduced from Tuesday against a backdrop of a "low rate of severe illness and hospitalisation".

Assessment of countries and regions will no longer be based on a traffic light system.

A minister said the government wanted to "keep our policies proportionate".

Passengers who are not fully vaccinated as well as children aged 11-17 will need to be tested upon arrival and on day eight, and will need to isolate until their first negative test result, the government added.

Children aged 10 and under will not be required to complete a pre-departure registration form, undergo testing on arrival or be required to isolate.

Enhanced testing and isolation will remain for the very small number of passengers who have visited countries subject to the UK Government International restricted list, in the 10 days prior to arrival, regardless of vaccination status.

Senator John Le Fondré, Chief Minister, said: "We need to ensure that we're balancing the ever-changing risk of the virus with the controls and restrictions that were imposed on islanders at a time when the risk of severe illness and hospitalisation was greater."

Senator Lyndon Farnham, Minister for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture, said: "It became apparent last weekend that the many thousands of people in isolation due to being identified as a direct contact was tipping the balance of harms for islanders, businesses and schools.

"It is therefore important that we keep our policies proportionate and in line with our strong vaccination programme to ensure we're affording islanders appropriate freedoms."

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