Covid Certificate
Aviation analyst Sean Mendis has described the recent decision by the British government to recognize vaccination certificates issued in Ghana to individuals who
have been fully vaccinated with AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson and
Johnson as a positive development for trade between the UK and Ghana.
The British High Commission in Accra tweeted the news on Thursday, Oct. 7, saying it was part of an effort to reduce the number of requirements to enter the United Kingdom.
This comes weeks after the announcement of a tiered U.K. travel system that allowed fully vaccinated travelers from some countries to enter the U.K. without isolation, while fully vaccinated travelers from other countries, including Ghana, were also required to be isolated after entering the U.K.
At the time, some people criticized this move, as it suggested that the British government did not recognize vaccines administered in countries such as Ghana as the same as those administered in the UK - a claim the British government denied.
Speaking to Citi Business News about the new development, Mr. Mendis said any measures that help open borders in a safe manner would be welcomed and improve trade.
"This is a very positive thing for the Ghanaian business community, especially considering that the U.S. is also going to lift travel restrictions on transit through the UK. So I know there are a lot of business people who have connections in both the U.K. and the U.S. who have had to travel back from the U.K. to Ghana and spend time here
before they could travel to the U.S. because of the travel bans in the U.S."
"Anything that opens up the borders, anything that removes these artificial barriers
and is secure is a good thing for the economy, for travel, for airlines, and for everyone involved," he added.
Existing restrictions
Passengers who are not recognized as fully vaccinated with approved vaccines and certificates under England's international travel rules will still be required to complete a pre-departure test, a PCR test on Day 2 and Day 8, and 10 days of self-isolation upon their return from a country not on the Red List under the new two-tiered travel program.