Fully-jabbed travellers will be able to return to UK from France without having to self-isolate, the UK administration has announced.

The rule changes at 04:00 on Sunday, August 8, mean that travellers will no longer have to sell-isolate for 10 days. However, a pre-departure test, antigen or PCR, will still be needed, plus a two-day test that has been booked and paid-for in advance.

France had been put on the amber-plus ostensibly because of fears of surging Beta cases. However, it was pointed out that only on the French-administered island of Reunion, 5,800 miles away from London, had the Beta cases risen sharply. It has taken several weeks for this fact to register with the UK government and the delay in changing the rule has led some observers to suggest that the amber-plus decision was more political than health-driven.

The rule change will be particularly useful for those travelling from Nice.

A Brittany Ferries spokesperson told The Guardian phones had been “ringing off the hook” since last night. “There’s been a huge spike in interest and bookings. At last there is some good news and some certainty – it’s a silver lining to the dark clouds that have been hanging over us. We suspect it’s a lot of second homeowners who were waiting to book, as well as last-minute holidaymakers.”

However, it is rather late in the summer for large numbers of Brits to holiday in France, especially as there has been considerable pressure on accommodation as large numbers of French residents are holidaying at home.

FILE PHOTO: Welcome to UK