Accurate as of: 11 October 2021
Current UK status
Visit https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/ for all official information.
- As of 4pm on 11 October 2021, a total of 309,337,726 coronavirus (COVID-19) tests have been conducted in the UK. 8,193,769 people have tested positive.
- 49,186,920 people have had their first dose of the vaccination, while 45,189,181 have been fully vaccinated.
- 160,824 patients in the UK who tested positive for COVID-19 have died.
UK travel restrictions:
Visit the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office website for all official information.
- From 4 October, the green, red & amber lists have been abolished. Now there is only a red list, from which people will have to quarantine in a hotel at their own expense for 10 days. Fully vaccinated people travelling from ‘rest of the world’ countries (not on the red list) are able to travel to the UK without the need for self-isolation; all that is required is a day 2 PCR test upon arriving in the UK. This test is set to be replaced with a cheaper lateral flow test from end of October.
Latest updates:
- Thailand will allow fully vaccinated travellers from the UK entry from 1 November under new plans to reopen the country to overseas tourism. The UK is one of ten source countries deemed as low risk from which jabbed holidaymakers will be allowed entry without the need to quarantine. (Travel Weekly)
- Fiji will reopen to fully vaccinated visitors from 1 December, the country’s government has confirmed. It will also open to visitors from other destinations on its green list, defined by their high vaccination rates and low infection rates. Travellers will need to provide evidence of a negative PCR test taken less than 72 hours prior to arrival in Fiji. (TTG)
- The Telegraph has published an updated list of countries that are closed to Brits and when they are or may be planning on opening, now that all of Europe is open to British travellers. (Telegraph)
- Only seven countries now remain on the UK’s red list. South Africa was a significant country to be removed from the list this week with the changes coming into effect on 11 October. (Telegraph)
- It remains unknown exactly when Brits will be able to enter the US, following last month’s announcement that the US border is set to open to UK and EU visitors from early November. Travellers will have to show proof of vaccine status as well as a negative test coronavirus test before boarding the plane. (Metro)
- Lufthansa recommends four hours for check-in at Berlin Brandenburg Airport as a result of many travellers missing their flights. This is the result of the start of Berlin’s Brandenburg’s Autumn holiday season. The capital’s new airport, colloquially known as BER, simply could not cope with the volume of travellers. (Business Traveller)
- As major companies look at drastic ways to cut carbon emissions from corporate travel, airlines are bracing for a major hit to business-class travel, a key revenue driver. Several companies, such as HSBC, Zurich Insurance , Bain & Company and S&P Global, have already announced plans to quickly cut business travel emissions by as much as 70%. (Skift)
- A report from Skyscanner reveals that improved understanding of traveller behaviour alongside the ability to capture demand for unserved routes and destinations are two key opportunities for travel businesses to seize. The Emerging Traveller Behaviour As the World Reopens study reveals that price is the biggest incentive to booking travel followed by trust. (PhocusWire)
Social media:
- Twitter is launching a broader roll out of its new Spaces tab in the app, which will help to improve spaces discovery by highlighting in-process audio broadcasts in the app. (Social Media Today)
- Facebook has announced an expansion of its audio social plans, with live audio rooms being made available to public figures globally, and a new, dedicated space within the Watch tab to help users connect to all of the platform’s various audio options. (Social Media Today)
- Spotify is expanding on its in-house podcasting strategy with the debut of two more communications-related podcasts focused on addressing specific industries, including creators, entertainment, consumer trends and lifestyle enthusiasts, and the business and financial community. (Tech Crunch)
- Snapchat has launched a new mental health support initiative, as part of World Mental Health Awareness Day, which will see the app team up with a range of celebrities on a new project called ‘Club Unity’, designed to raise awareness of key mental health issues. (Social Media Today)
