Under what situations might I be forced to quarantine while in the UK, if I am vaccinated outside the UK?

Upvote:0

Anyone who qualifies as fully vaccinated does not have to self-isolate unless:

  • they arrived via a red list country (currently none on the list)

  • their Day 2 test result is positive

  • they are not exempt from self-isolation as a contact because their vaccine was not administered in the UK, and are notified by NHS Test and Trace that they have been identified as a close contact and/or have tested positive for COVID-19. This is a legal requirement.

Source: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/travel-to-england-from-another-country-during-coronavirus-covid-19 and https://www.gov.uk/guidance/nhs-test-and-trace-how-it-works

You may need to demonstrate your Covid status while in the UK. The NHS app (or devolved administration equivalent) is the means of doing so https://www.nhsx.nhs.uk/covid-19-response/how-to-use-the-nhs-app-to-demonstrate-your-nhs-covid-pass-in-england/ Restaurants, bars etc may require you to ‘check in’ using their QR code https://faq.covid19.nhs.uk/article/KA-01183/en-us. Other sources of contact-tracing information for Test and Trace include, for example:

  • friends you spend time with/people you’re staying with who test positive and are contacted by Test and Trace
  • if/when you make any bookings eg entry to tourist attractions, you will typically be asked for contact details.
  • if you need to visit a hospital for medical treatment

You can check the local infection level for the postcode(s) areas where you’ll be staying while in the UK via the tool at the bottom of the UK’s official Covid data website https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/

Upvote:7

The UK rules changed in December to remove the oddity that people vaccinated abroad might be legally required to self-isolate in circumstances where people vaccinated in the UK wouldn't be required to:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/nhs-test-and-trace-how-it-works#exemptions-from-self-isolation-for-contacts

(Announced on 19 November, so after your question was posted but coming into effect well before your planned trip.)

So the answer to the alternative part of your question, about how to get the UK contact tracing system to treat you as a fully vaccinated, is simply to wait until December.

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