[Bill Brightly]

I figure this is the best place to get the proper answer. I was asked to be part of a great East Lothian golf trip originally planned for June, 2020. The organizer is re-scheduling for September 2021. Of course I want to go but I am confused by the red light, amber light, green light system in the UK.


What are the rules/requirements of a vaccinated US citizens traveling to Scotland? Will I need to quarantine upon arrival?


Thanks.

[John Emerson]

https://www.gov.uk/uk-border-control

[JohnVDB]

https://www.gov.uk/uk-border-control

Also read this page on Scotland.
https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-international-travel-quarantine/pages/red-amber-and-green-list-countries/


It’s all subject to change so check back regularly.

[David_Tepper]

"What are the rules/requirements of a vaccinated US citizens traveling to Scotland? Will I need to quarantine upon arrival?"

Bill B. -

As things now stand, coming from the U.S. and being vaccinated gets you nothing.

I am hoping to get to Scotland in mid-August without having to quarantine for 10 days. There may (or may not) be good news coming over the next several weeks.

DT

[Tom_Doak]

Bill:


I’m in Scotland now.  I did not have to quarantine because I had spent ten days in Ireland first, which the UK counts as good via the old Common Travel Area which predates the EU.  (The reverse is not true, though:  because of the Delta variant, Ireland is making UK citizens quarantine as of last week.)


Based on what I’ve heard locally, I would say the odds are 80% you will be able to get into Ireland after July 19 with just proof of vaccination and a current COVID test, but the odds for Scotland are a toss-up, unless you do ten days in Ireland first.


PS. I have to come back in September for work, so I’m also hoping they sort this out.

[Adam Lawrence]

The UK government is trailing pretty heavily its intention fairly soon to exempt fully vaccinated travellers coming in from amber list countries (of which the US is one) from the requirement to quarantine.


What isn't totally clear is whether this will apply to incoming visitors from those countries or merely to returning British residents. I would guess the former, but who can be certain?


Adam

[David_Tepper]

"What isn't totally clear is whether this will apply to incoming visitors from those countries or merely to returning British residents. I would guess the former, but who can be certain?"

Adam L. -

Based on this article (which is very much less than the final word), it appears the exemption from quarantining for vaccinated travelers returning from Amber countries only applies to British residents.

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/travel-stocks-under-pressure-as-tweaks-to-u-k-quarantine-rules-fall-flat-11624630125?mod=home-page


"The U.K. also announced plans to drop quarantine rules for fully vaccinated travelers returning home from countries on its amber list, with details to be announced next month."

DT

[Mike_Trenham]

Ok and once I get there and I am free to travel and play golf will pubs and clubhouses be open without restrictions?

[David_Tepper]

Mike T. -

A lot depends on where you are going in Scotland (and when you will get there):

https://www.gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19/

Restrictions should (might!) ease up on August 9:

https://www.scotsman.com/health/coronavirus/covid-scotland-nicola-sturgeon-indicates-covid-19-restrictions-to-be-lifted-in-full-on-august-9-3282480

DT

[Lou_Duran]

OK David.  Do we go to the Buda in September and up to the Highlands or not?


My English golf mate just canceled his buddy trip for July.  He reports a resurgence of cases in parts of England and that his sister's cafes are about to be put on restrictions again.  What a freaking mess!  He also notes that in the areas around London, those in quarantine are receiving regular in-person visits by the authorities.

[Joel_Stewart]

I'm going to predict that if the Delta variant continues to explode you're probably not going. The news from Israel is quite distressing, infecting many people who have already been vaccinated.   

[David_Tepper]

Lou -

What the U.K. and Scottish governments decide/announce over the next 2-4 weeks will likely decide "go or no go" for a lot of people. I know of a couple people in the U.S. who have had their booked flights to the U.K. in August cancelled by their airlines, so that is another factor in play.

We are now thinking about pushing our trip to Scotland back from mid-August to mid-September, just trying to buy a little more time for the situation to get better.

DT

[JohnVDB]

 Titian Airways canceled our flights out of Newark for late July but just moved us to a flight out of JFK. They did this to me last year as well but I had no problems getting out of JFK then and doubt I will now if I go.


Looking at other options though.

[jeffwarne]

I'm going to predict that if the Delta variant continues to explode you're probably not going. The news from Israel is quite distressing, infecting many people who have already been vaccinated.

In Israel, the death and hospitalization rate remain low.
At some point, cases can't be the benchmark, but rather how much danger there is to someone(both vaccinated and unvaccinated)
Amazing how many articles you have to comb through to find data that matters.
A stat I can't find is how many in Israel that are vaccinated AND infected, are hospitalized.
Which would be a good start.


I'm not downplaying the Delta vaiant, or the potential for any future variant.
It's unlikely to go away, we just have to learn how to live with it, and how much risk to take as a country, as well as as an individual.

[mike_malone]

I hope they pay attention to Jeff’s take. All of the precautions should be focused on hospitalizations. Vaccinated people should be allowed to move freely without quarantine.

[Sean_A]

I am in Scotland at the moment. The only real restriction is on closing time for pubs and restaurants. Last call is 10:30 and closing is 11. There are also restrictions about table numbers and must sit at table to drink which limits the capacity. Other than the above some tourist attractions etc remain closed. I would be surprised if the pub and restaurant restrictions are lifted in the next few months.

Ciao

[Tony_Muldoon]

Last call is 10:30 and closing is 11.

I worked as a barman 2 nights a week when I was a student many years ago.  That was the law and the closing time for most of the previous century.


Funny how what was once the norm, feels like an imposition now.

[Sean_A]

Last call is 10:30 and closing is 11.

I worked as a barman 2 nights a week when I was a student many years ago.  That was the law and the closing time for most of the previous century.

Funny how what was once the norm, feels like an imposition now.

I don't mind that much if staying in a flat. We had a few hours of lovely bullshit talk last night over a few beers and bourbon in our lounge. It's a bit of a pain for those guys squeezing the daylight for all its worth. They get off the course to a dark house and town.

Ciao

[Stewart Abramson]

UK Grapples with Delta-driven spike in Covid cases  [size=78%]https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/26/world/england-opens-walk-in-vaccination-sites-as-the-uk-grapples-with-a-delta-driven-spike-in-cases.html?smid=url-share[/size]

[Jerry Kluger]

Here's an explanation of what is going to happen at The Open so far as players, etc.  It looks to me like extreme precautions for players while at the same time there will be 32,000 fans.  This didn't work out so well for the NC State baseball team.
http://read.nxtbook.com/global_golf_post/global_golf_post/20210628/green_col.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Read%20More%20→&utm_campaign=dm-062821

[Mark Pearce]

Here's an explanation of what is going to happen at The Open so far as players, etc.  It looks to me like extreme precautions for players while at the same time there will be 32,000 fans.  This didn't work out so well for the NC State baseball team.
http://read.nxtbook.com/global_golf_post/global_golf_post/20210628/green_col.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Read%20More%20→&utm_campaign=dm-062821

Going to take a wild guess that the number of people in North Carolina who had had two doses of vaccine was rather lower than it here now?  Not saying that it's right that crowds are returning to sports events here but let's at least try to recognise relevant differences.

[Daryl David]

Here's an explanation of what is going to happen at The Open so far as players, etc.  It looks to me like extreme precautions for players while at the same time there will be 32,000 fans.  This didn't work out so well for the NC State baseball team.
http://read.nxtbook.com/global_golf_post/global_golf_post/20210628/green_col.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Read%20More%20→&utm_campaign=dm-062821

Going to take a wild guess that the number of people in North Carolina who had had two doses of vaccine was rather lower than it here now?  Not saying that it's right that crowds are returning to sports events here but let's at least try to recognise relevant differences.

Percent of total population fully vaccinated.


USA  46.1%
North Carolina 42%
UK    48.6%     

[David_Tepper]

Today in the Scotsman:

https://www.scotsman.com/health/scotland-should-press-pause-on-covid-restrictions-easing-says-virologist-3289449

"as Scotland recorded the highest daily case number so far during the pandemic, with 3,285 new cases on Monday."

[Peter Pallotta]

DT -
as I read this thread and other related ones, a question keeps coming to mind:
What government, ie which ELECTED officials, will be the first to rescind the quarantine requirements for out-of-country [or out-of-EU-member-state] visitors?
In other words: which government leaders will be the first to put the interests or convenience of those who CAN'T EVER VOTE for them over & above the interests of those who MIGHT/MIGHT NOT vote for them in the next election, depending on the very decisions made in this regard?
I want people from this site with plans to do so to be able to travel to other countries for golf, later this summer or in the fall; and I really hope you can get to Dornoch in August without having to quarantine for days on end.
But vaccinated or not, re-tested there or not, delta variants or not, with or without proof and/or vaccine passports, I simply can't see ANY government making such travel 'easy' or quarantine-free for many many months to come.
I mean: why would they? And why would they risk being the FIRST to lift such quarantine requirements for travelling foreign nationals, with all the potential downsides of that and with no discernible upside [especially for their own personal interests]?

[Bill Gayne]

https://www.ft.com/content/64a0018e-214e-455f-8cf3-d4e407b5b1d2


Bummer article. Financial Times reports US UK travel corridor unlikely before end of summer. Spike in delta variant, complexities of US political system, and uncertainty around AstraZeneca vaccine (not recognized by US Government) all leading to nothing changing before September at the earliest.

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