MUSCAT: The UK has added Oman, Qatar, Ethiopia and Somalia to its travel red list, the Foreign Office said on Monday.

In a statement issued, the Foreign Office said: “From 4am on 19 March, direct flights from Oman to England are prohibited. Visitors who have been in or transited through Oman in the previous 10 days cannot enter England. British and Irish nationals and third country nationals with residence rights in the UK arriving in England from Oman will be required to quarantine in a hotel. Different rules apply for arrivals into Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.”

A ban on commercial and private planes travelling from Oman, Ethiopia and Qatar will also come into force on Friday to reduce the risk of importing variants of concern. “This excludes cargo and freight without passengers,” the statement added.