The Transport Secretary announced that travel quarantine would be cut down by half after England’s lockdown ends.
Grant Shapps told airport operators that new quarantine rules in the UK, require a “test and release scheme”. In order to slash self-isolation in half from nations that are not secure. This commences once the current lockdown period is over. So, people coming back to Britain will have to self-isolate only for a week. The Transport Secretary said earlier that the Travel Taskforce would look to cut down the 14-day quarantine to around 7 days after England’s lockdown. Although a specific timescale has yet to be announced. He also revealed that the Travel Taskforce had been making excellent progress regarding this matter.
The new scheme set by the authorities on the quarantine rules in the UK will see that passengers pay for a PCR test after they arrive in the UK. This test, taken four or five days after arrival. If tested negative, there won’t be any need for quarantine.
Insiders in the industry said it could cost up to £150 for a test. However, some of the costs might be backed by the airlines, causing the fee to drop down a fair amount.
Mr. Shapps also revealed the test results are tested on a large-scale testing pilot located in Liverpool.
The Transport Secretary also added: “This is a highly accurate swab test that gives results in less than an hour, and doesn’t need to go to the lab. “Ultimately, it could open the way for non-quarantine travel as well.”
This notion comes after many discussions between government authorities. Many travellers put off visiting other countries because the Government struck a 14-day quarantine period on people coming back from many countries.
At the moment, people aren’t able to travel due to Travel restrictions—both inside or outside of the UK during England’s lockdown.
If anyone found trying to go on holiday or a getaway, they risk a £200 fine.
One-hour PCR tests for travellers leaving the UK have already launched at Heathrow, boosting international air travel.
Passengers travelling to countries that demand a negative coronavirus test has to carry out a test to avoid quarantine processes.
At first, the tests is only offered to passengers travelling to Hong Kong, with plans to extend to different destinations.
The testing by Collinson and Swissport is a fast, LAMP type test that delivers results in around one hour.
Only people travelling to Hong Kong can book an online test in advance before going to the airport. These tests cost £80, and results can be available in about an hour. Nevertheless, the passengers who received the tests first said it they took only 20 minutes.
The CEO of London City Airport, Mr. Robert Sinclair, advised that the quarantine rules have to end by Easter, or else the future holidays will be at risk. He also said while at a travel conference: “I do think that the industry is pretty much in survival mode, hoping to make it through to Easter and Summer.” He added, “I see [the test and release scheme] very much as phase one, as a reduction in quarantine. The task force has to remain in place and move forward to developing a second step departures protocol, which fully eliminates the quarantine altogether. The second step needs to be ahead of Easter next year as passengers do feel confident flying, there is just this significant issue undermining demand, due to quarantine, and a patchwork quilt of travel rules.”
Share
