Travel restrictions and self-isolation (quarantine) rules continue to be enforced in order to help reduce the global spread of COVID-19 and protect the health of the UK public. Within the UK, coronavirus restrictions are gradually being lifted, with timetables having been published for their easing in Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

A cautious approach to resuming international travel is underway for people living in Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland. A traffic light system which categorises countries on to a red, amber or green list, based on their COVID-19 risk, is in place for travellers arriving into the UK.

Currently, anyone entering Scotland from countries on the international travel green list will not be required to quarantine on arrival, but will have to take a PCR test for COVID-19 and complete a passenger locator form. The green, amber and red lists were last amended on 8 June 2021, and may change again at short notice. It should be noted that the traffic light system does not indicate which countries are currently allowing UK travellers to enter their country.

Country specific COVID-19 risk

The fitfortravel (for the general public) and TRAVAX (for health professionals) country pages have been updated to include a COVID-19 country specific risk-rating, with every country being identified as high, moderate or low risk and each rating accompanied by appropriate travel advice. This information will be listed in the ‘Alerts’ section on each country page of fitfortravel and the 'Emerging Health Risks' section of every TRAVAX country page. This risk-rating is based on a robust public health assessment of the COVID-19 risks for travellers to each country and is regularly reviewed.

Advice for travellers

Prior to booking any international travel, travellers must first check if the country they are travelling to is currently accepting UK travellers. 

• Each country or territory on the FCDO foreign travel advice page provides up-to-date information on their entry rules, in response to coronavirus (COVID-19), under the ‘Entry Requirements’ section. 
• Travellers should be aware that some countries or territories may require proof of COVID-19 vaccination status for entry. For those living in Scotland, England and Wales, guidance for demonstrating COVID-19 vaccination status is available. Information on demonstrating COVID-19 vaccination status has yet to be announced for Northern Ireland.

It is advised that travellers are aware of all travel restrictions, self-isolation rules and precautions they should take, in order to reduce their risk of exposure to coronavirus (COVID-19) before, during and after travel, as detailed on the fitfortravel website.

On return to the UK, travellers should be aware that quarantine rules differ for Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Prior to their journey, travellers must ensure they are able to comply with the rules appropriate to the UK nation they will be arriving in and reside in, if different.

Source: TRAVAX, 31 May 2021

French public health authorities have reported a continuing dengue epidemic in Réunion, a French overseas department in the Indian Ocean. Between 17 and 23 May 2021, there were 1,949 confirmed cases, with the west of the island particularly affected. The number of emergency admissions to hospital is rising, with 21% of hospitalised cases having severe dengue.

Advice for travellers 

• All travellers to endemic regions are potentially at risk of dengue fever, and should be aware of this infection. Prevention relies on avoiding mosquito bites at all times. 
• Travellers developing a fever during or on return from travel are advised to seek medical attention as soon as possible.

Information and advice for travellers on dengue fever is available on the TRAVAX (for health professionals) and fitfortravel (for the general public) websites.

Source: TRAVAX, 3 June 2021

The National Health Commission in China has reported a case of H10N3 avian influenza A (bird flu) in Jiangsu Province, the first time this virus has been seen in a human. The patient, from Zhenjiang, became unwell on 23 April 2021, but their condition is not considered serious. H10N3 does not cause serious illness in birds and is not readily transmitted to, or between, people.

Advice for travellers

Travellers to countries where avian influenza has caused human disease should be aware of the potential risk of infection, particularly those visiting friends and relatives. These travellers should be advised to avoid contact with: 

• live poultry, including chickens, ducks, geese, pigeons and quail, or any wild birds 
• surfaces that may be contaminated with poultry or bird droppings 
• commercial poultry farms, backyard poultry farms, and live poultry markets 
• sick or dead poultry and birds

Information and advice for travellers on avian influenza is available on the TRAVAX (for health professionals) and fitfortravel (for the general public) websites.

Source: TRAVAX, 3 June 2021

The dates for this year's Hajj pilgrimage are 17 to 22 July 2021. The government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is yet to make a formal announcement regarding the entry and health requirements for Hajj 2021, however, due to the ongoing uncertainties around international travel, the Council of British Hajjis UK are currently advising that British Muslims do not make any travel plans or bookings for Hajj 2021.

More information and general advice on Hajj is available on the TRAVAX (for healthcare practitioners) and the fitfortravel (for the public) websites.

Source: TRAVAX, 8 June 2021

More than three million laboratory-confirmed infection cases, along with their antimicrobial resistance (AMR) results, were reported to the World Health Organization (WHO), in response to the 2020 call for input toward its Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS).

The WHO report that, collectively, country reports show high numbers of bloodstream infections caused by Escherichia coli with resistance to third generation cephalosporins, and by antimicrobial resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Resistance seem to be higher in low and middle-income countries than in richer countries, and could be particularly concerning for countries with limited access to modern antibiotics effective against these infections.

The WHO found high levels of resistance to last-resort antibiotics, such as carbapenems, reported for bloodstream infections caused by common hospital pathogens such as Acinetobacter spp. and some enterobacteria, highlighting the threat of highly resistant human pathogens. The reports also indicated a high proportion of resistance to commonly used antibiotic treatments for urinary tract infections, and for gonorrhoea.

The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) has launched its polio eradication strategy for 2022 to 2026. While cases have fallen 99.9% since 1988, polio remains a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), and persistent barriers to reaching every child with polio vaccines and the COVID-19 pandemic have contributed to an increase in polio cases. In 2020, 1226 cases of all forms of polio were recorded, compared to 138 in 2018. 

Leaders from the two countries yet to interrupt wild polio transmission, Pakistan and Afghanistan, have called for renewed global solidarity and the continued resources necessary to eradicate this vaccine-preventable disease, and advise they are committed to strengthening their partnership with GPEI to improve vaccination campaigns and engagement with communities at high risk of polio.

Source: GPEI, 10 June 2021

The World Health Organization (WHO) has developed a handbook to help countries measure their foodborne disease burden, and identify food safety system needs and data gaps.

The WHO state that every year 600 million cases of foodborne illnesses are reported. In 2010, 420,000 people died due to diseases such as Salmonella and Escherichia coli infection, a third of them children under five years of age. The WHO estimate that this figure is increasing annually, but it is difficult to get a clear picture of the real impact foodborne diseases are having around the world.

This handbook provides detailed guidance on assessing the burden of diseases caused by microbiological agents commonly transmitted through foods, is particularly intended for use at national level, giving a complete picture of the requirements, enabling factors, challenges and opportunities involved, and the steps in the process. The handbook also aims to foster harmonization of methodologies for estimating foodborne disease burden across countries.

Source: WHO, 7 June 2021

Clean Air Day, the UK’s largest air pollution campaign, takes place on 17 June 2021. Led by Global Action Plan, the campaign aims to bring together communities, businesses, schools and the health sector, in order to: 

• improve public understanding of air pollution 
• build awareness of how air pollution affects health 
• explain the easy actions that can be done to tackle air pollution, helping to protect the environment and health

More information on events and resources for Clean Air Day in Scotland can be found on the Global Action Plan website.

As part of their climate change plan to reduce carbon emissions and support biodiversity, the Scottish Government has announced funding for projects to restore Scotland’s peatlands. Degraded peatlands emit more carbon than they remove, becoming a net source of greenhouse gases. Restoring peatlands will help remove and store carbon from the atmosphere, support habitats and species, improve water quality, and manage flood risk.

Last year, the Scottish Government announced a £250 million ten-year funding package to support peatland restoration, with a target of restoring 250,000 hectares of degraded peatland by 2030. In 2021 to 2022, five partners, including NatureScot and Scottish Water, will receive a share of £22 million to deliver a range of new and existing restoration projects across Scotland.

Source: Scottish Government, 5 June 2021

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is collaborating with partners to clean up the water at one of Scotland’s busiest bathing waters, Ayr (South Beach).

Having been classified as ‘poor’ for four years in a row, another such classification in 2021 would result in the loss of its designated bathing water status, meaning it would no longer benefit from SEPA water sampling and water quality predictions. While the beach would remain open and people could still go into the water, advice against bathing would be displayed.

SEPA, along with Scottish Water and supported by South Ayrshire Council, are working to try to ensure that situation is avoided. Ayr (South Beach) must achieve a minimum of ‘sufficient’ by the end of 2021 to remain a designated bathing water.

Source: SEPA, 7 June 2021

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) has launched a public consultation on its long-term vision, and wish to hear from individuals and communities across Scotland, in order to determine their views on the future direction the organisation should take to make the country an even safer place to live, work and visit. The responses to this consultation will inform the final vision document, which will set out the key principles and priorities SFRS want to achieve over the next ten years.

The consultation closes on 18 July 2021.