A passenger walks past a testing centre sign in the terminal building of Manchester Airport amid the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Manchester, Britain, December 3, 2020. REUTERS/Phil Noble
A passenger walks past a testing centre sign in the terminal building of Manchester Airport (Picture: Reuters)

‘High value’ business travellers will no longer be forced to self-isolate after returning to England from countries not in a ‘travel corridor’ with the UK.

It means they will be treated differently to ordinary Brits who will still have to quarantine after visiting the nations.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps made the announcement this evening as he confirmed that there would be no changes to the current travel corridors. Exact details of the plan were not immediately available on the government website, but Mr Shapps said the move aims to allow ‘more travel to support the economy and jobs’.

In a later tweet, he added: ‘Certain performing arts professionals, TV production staff, journalists, and recently signed elite sportspersons will also be exempt, subject to specific criteria being met – guidance will be available on gov.uk soon’.

The rules come into force at 4am on Saturday, December 5.

Last week, Denmark’s total travel ban was lifted, as self-isolation was dropped for Bhutan, Timor-Leste, Mongolia and Aruba; along with Samoa, Kiribati, Micronesia, Tonga, Vanuata and the Soloman Island.

But Estonia and Latvia were removed from the travel corridor list.

The new travel exemption for business travellers only applies to those returning to England.

Mr Shapps did not clarify who counts as a ‘high value’ business traveller but said ‘conditions apply’.

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