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| Covid: Pre-departure travel tests have outlived their usefulness - Shapps | Covid: Pre-departure travel tests have outlived their usefulness - Shapps |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| The current Covid testing system for people travelling to England has "outlived its usefulness", Transport Secretary Grant Shapps says, as Omicron is now "widespread and worldwide". | The current Covid testing system for people travelling to England has "outlived its usefulness", Transport Secretary Grant Shapps says, as Omicron is now "widespread and worldwide". |
| Ahead of a rule change later this week, he said the system - introduced to slow Omicron's spread - had "done its part". | Ahead of a rule change later this week, he said the system - introduced to slow Omicron's spread - had "done its part". |
| Pre-departure tests will end for fully vaccinated travellers and day two PCRs will be replaced by lateral flow tests. | Pre-departure tests will end for fully vaccinated travellers and day two PCRs will be replaced by lateral flow tests. |
| Mr Shapps said ministers would "ensure a stable system is in place for 2022". | Mr Shapps said ministers would "ensure a stable system is in place for 2022". |
| The shake-up, announced on Wednesday, came after travel firms said the measures were not effective now Omicron was spreading widely. | The shake-up, announced on Wednesday, came after travel firms said the measures were not effective now Omicron was spreading widely. |
| What tests do I need to go on holiday? | What tests do I need to go on holiday? |
| Where do I need to use a Covid passport? | Where do I need to use a Covid passport? |
| Pre-departure Covid travel tests to be scrapped | Pre-departure Covid travel tests to be scrapped |
| Under the current rules in force until Friday, all fully vaccinated travellers over the age of 12 must show proof of a negative lateral flow or PCR test taken in the two days before coming to the UK. Fully vaccinated people must also pay for a PCR test within two days of arrival and self-isolate while waiting for the result. | Under the current rules in force until Friday, all fully vaccinated travellers over the age of 12 must show proof of a negative lateral flow or PCR test taken in the two days before coming to the UK. Fully vaccinated people must also pay for a PCR test within two days of arrival and self-isolate while waiting for the result. |
| People who aren't fully vaccinated must currently take PCR tests on both day two and day eight after arriving, and self-isolate for 10 days. | People who aren't fully vaccinated must currently take PCR tests on both day two and day eight after arriving, and self-isolate for 10 days. |
| But under the new rules: | But under the new rules: |
| From 04:00 GMT on Friday: people who are fully vaccinated and those aged under-18 will no longer need to take a test two days before travelling to England from countries outside the UK and the Common Travel Area. On arrival, they will have to take a PCR test but they will no longer have to self-isolate while awaiting the result | From 04:00 GMT on Friday: people who are fully vaccinated and those aged under-18 will no longer need to take a test two days before travelling to England from countries outside the UK and the Common Travel Area. On arrival, they will have to take a PCR test but they will no longer have to self-isolate while awaiting the result |
| From 04:00 GMT on Sunday: they will only have to take a lateral flow test instead of a PCR test on day two. But this test must be bought from a private test provider - free NHS tests are not allowed | From 04:00 GMT on Sunday: they will only have to take a lateral flow test instead of a PCR test on day two. But this test must be bought from a private test provider - free NHS tests are not allowed |
| Unvaccinated passengers will need to continue to take a pre-departure test, PCR tests on day two and day eight, and self-isolate for 10 days | Unvaccinated passengers will need to continue to take a pre-departure test, PCR tests on day two and day eight, and self-isolate for 10 days |
| People going abroad should continue to check the travel rules for their destination country. | |
| PCR tests have been used for travellers as they can detect if someone has the Omicron variant, unlike lateral flow tests. | PCR tests have been used for travellers as they can detect if someone has the Omicron variant, unlike lateral flow tests. |
| Asked whether the rule change could mean new variants are missed among people arriving from abroad, he said anyone who had a positive lateral flow test must get a PCR test via the NHS so it can be checked for new variants using sequencing techniques. | Asked whether the rule change could mean new variants are missed among people arriving from abroad, he said anyone who had a positive lateral flow test must get a PCR test via the NHS so it can be checked for new variants using sequencing techniques. |
| Mr Shapps said the UK had a much higher level of sequencing than any other country in the world, so it was tracking new variants very carefully "regardless of whether it starts here or somewhere else". | Mr Shapps said the UK had a much higher level of sequencing than any other country in the world, so it was tracking new variants very carefully "regardless of whether it starts here or somewhere else". |
| He warned that stricter travel measures could be reintroduced if another variant of concern emerged, and earlier tweeted that the rules would be reviewed by the end of the month. | He warned that stricter travel measures could be reintroduced if another variant of concern emerged, and earlier tweeted that the rules would be reviewed by the end of the month. |
| The travel industry welcomed the relaxation of the rules. | The travel industry welcomed the relaxation of the rules. |
| EasyJet chief executive Johan Lundgren said the changes would make travel "much simpler and easier", as customers could now book and travel with "confidence". | EasyJet chief executive Johan Lundgren said the changes would make travel "much simpler and easier", as customers could now book and travel with "confidence". |
| Chief executive of travel association Abta, Mark Tanzer, said it was "potentially very positive", but that damage had "already been done". | Chief executive of travel association Abta, Mark Tanzer, said it was "potentially very positive", but that damage had "already been done". |
| "We now hope to see confidence return as we enter what is usually the peak booking season for summer holidays," he added. | "We now hope to see confidence return as we enter what is usually the peak booking season for summer holidays," he added. |
| Steve Heapy, boss of the airline Jet2, also said the timing of the announcement would make a "huge difference". | Steve Heapy, boss of the airline Jet2, also said the timing of the announcement would make a "huge difference". |
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