LONDON — Travelers from Saudi Arabia can continue to visit the United Kingdom as one more Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries was added to the UK's travel "red list" on Thursday over coronavirus fears. With Bahrain's addition to the "red list," Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are the only two GCC countries from where travelers are allowed to enter the UK as they continue to be on the "amber list". Seven more countries — including Bahrain — were added to the red list on Thursday. All changes to the lists will come into effect at 4 a.m. on June 8 (Tuesday). The other countries added to the "red list" on Thursday are the following: Afghanistan, Costa Rica, Egypt, Sri Lanka, Sudan, and Trinidad and Tobago were also added to the "red list." According to the UK regulations, people arriving in the UK require proof of a negative test, taken within 3 days before the scheduled departure of their flights, and those coming from countries on the "amber list" must undergo COVID-19 tests on second and eight days of their arrival in the UK. As part of the new measures, Portugal has been moved to the "amber list" from the "green list." The decision to move Portugal (including Madeira and the Azores) to the amber list follows increased concern in the spread of variants of coronavirus, including a mutation of the Delta variant, and the risk that is posed of bringing these back to the UK if people are not required to quarantine, according to the government statement. Meanwhile, the UK government also announced direct flights will be permitted to England from countries on the 'red list' so long as they arrive at dedicated terminals at Heathrow and Birmingham airports. The move, which will come into force on June 8 (Tuesday), is part of a limited trial as the UK opens up for international travel. The requirement for these direct flights to arrive at dedicated facilities will help keep more red list passengers separate from others, helping to ensure they are processed as safely and efficiently as possible and then travel straight to their managed quarantine hotel and reduce queues at the border, the statement added.
