People desperate to come here, next step is moving people between UK, India: UK envoy

UK High Commissioner to India, Alex Ellis on Saturday that he is delighted with UK-India cooperation on Covishield and added that the next step is to increase the flow of people between the two countries as they are desperate to come here.

"We are delighted with UK-India cooperation on Covishield, those travelling from India can now enter the UK without quarantine," High Commissioner told ANI.

"The next step is to get people moving between India and UK. People are desperate to come here. Easing the way for business travellers to come here and opening up more flights can get the flow of people," he added.

Over possible recognition of Covaxin, the High Commissioner said, "We have to look at each process in terms of each vaccine. In turn, we start with the ones who are recognized by a regulator that includes obviously Covishield."

On Friday, sources had said the Centre will issue fresh guidelines for foreign nationals from the UK after the British government ordered to discontinue mandatory COVID-19 norms for those vaccinated with Covishield and travelling from India to the UK.

"Ministry of Health is going to issue fresh guidelines for foreign nationals from the UK after the country ordered to discontinue mandatory testing and quarantine norms for those vaccinated with Covishield travelling from India to the UK," sources said.

This came on Thursday after the UK government announced that no quarantine will be required for vaccinated Indians travellers.

British High Commissioner to India on Thursday had said that there would be no quarantine required for fully vaccinated Indian travellers in the UK from October 11, thereby ending the row over what New Delhi described as "discriminatory" travel rules by London.

Last month, London announced the new rules making it mandatory for a 10-day quarantine and RT-PCR test even for fully vaccinated Indians travelling to the UK. In response to this, India in retaliation imposed reciprocal measures for UK citizens travelling to India since October 4.

( With inputs from ANI )

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