People walking in Dhaka, Bangladesh on 31 March 2021

image copyrightEPA

They are being added to England’s “red list” amid concerns about the spread of new Covid-19 variants.

From 04:00 on 9 April, international visitors who have travelled from or through those countries in the previous 10 days will be refused entry.

An exception is made for British or Irish passport holders, or people with UK residence rights.

During their stay, passengers will have to take two coronavirus tests – but a negative test result does not mean they can shorten their time in quarantine.

No direct flight bans from the four countries will be put in place, but passengers are advised to check their travel plans before departing for England.

Nearly 40 countries are currently on the UK government’s red list of countries from which travel is banned.

Under the current rules, foreign travel from the UK is banned apart from for exceptional reasons.

The earliest date people from England will be able to travel abroad for a holiday is 17 May, when the government hopes to move to step three of its lockdown exit plan.

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