The Health Protection (Coronavirus) (International Travel etc.) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2021

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (International Travel) (Scotland) Regulations 2020 (“the International Travel Regulations”), the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Public Health Information for Passengers Travelling to Scotland) Regulations 2020 (“the Information Regulations”) and the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Pre-Departure Testing and Operator Liability) (Scotland) Regulations 2021 (“the Pre-Departure Testing Regulations”).

Regulation 3 adjusts the International Travel Regulations so that a person who tests positive for coronavirus earlier than the day on which they take a day 2 or day 8 test under the regulations must only continue to isolate until the end of the 10th day following the day on which the earlier test was taken.

Regulation 4 amends regulation 6 of the International Travel Regulations so that individuals arriving in Scotland from acute risk countries or territories and who are travelling for certain elite sporting events are required to isolate in accordance with the requirements of regulation 6(2) when not participating in those events in connection with their exemption.

Regulation 5 makes adjustments to regulation 7A of the International Travel Regulations in connection with the exemptions that apply in respect of the requirement to remain in managed isolation under regulations 6A and 6B.

Regulations 6, 10 and 11 amend the date on which the International Travel Regulations, the Information Regulations and Part 2 of the Pre-Departure Testing Regulations respectively expire.

Regulation 7 amends the list of acute risk countries and territories specified in schedule A2 of the International Travel Regulations. Ethiopia, Oman, Qatar and Somalia are added to the list of acute risk countries and territories, and Portugal and Mauritius are removed from that list. Passengers who arrive in Scotland either directly or via the common travel area, and who have in the previous 10 days departed from, or transited through, an acute risk country or territory may only enter Scotland at a designated airport, and they must be in possession of a managed self-isolation package.

Regulation 8 amends schedule 2 of the International Travel Regulations by making a technical amendment to the definition of “domestic elite sportsperson” in paragraph 38(2), to address a numbering issue.

Regulation 9 adds a new Part 2 to schedule 3A of the International Travel Regulations. Elite sportspersons who travel to Scotland having departed from, or transited through, an acute risk country in order to participate in the event specified in the new Part 2 of schedule 3A are exempt from the managed isolation requirements in regulations 6A and 6B.

Regulation 12 makes savings provision.

An impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument.