Kenyan travelers have a reason to smile after the United Kingdom announced it will from Monday permit those fully vaccinated to enter the country without heading into quarantine.

The UK government also said that travelers from Kenya will also not be required to take a Covid-19 test before they depart from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport like before.

“We are pleased to announce that from Monday, those fully vaccinated in Kenya can travel to United Kingdom without having to quarantine, or take a COVID test before departure,” the British High Commission in Kenya announced on its Twitter handle on Thursday.

UK High Commissioner to Kenya Jane Marriot said the progress was the result of a partnership between the British government and Kenya’s Ministry of Health headed by Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe. 

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She also indicated that the move will enhance trade and tourism between the two countries as both countries take steps to contain the pandemic to enable them to return to normalcy.

“Thanks to strong partnership with @MOH_Kenya, we have completed the process to recognise vaccine certificates,” Marriot said on Twitter.

She added, “This is great news for Kenya-UK trade, our peoples, and tourism as we move closer to getting back to normal.”

According to the www.gov.uk, the UK government website, if one is fully vaccinated in Kenya, they will need to do the following before they travel to the UK;

• Book and pay for a day 2 COVID-19 test – to be taken after arrival in England

• complete a passenger locator form – to be completed in the 48 hours before you arrive in England

• You will need to enter your COVID-19 test booking reference number on your passenger locator form.

• When one arrives in England they must take a COVID-19 test on or before day 2 and this must be booked before one travels.

• If one will be in England for less than 2 days they will still need to book and pay for a day 2 COVID-19 test, but will only take the test if they are still in England on day 2.

The UK government on September 17 moved Kenya and seven other destinations from its Red List to its Amber List in what was seen as a move to ease travel to the European nation.

The decision, which came into effect at 4am on September 22, was part of a series of changes meant to abolish the current system and introduce new regulations from October which will recognize a traveler’s vaccination status.