UK entry – confusing new rules *

Late Saturday evening the Department for Transport (DfT) added Nigeria to the red list and changed the UK arrival rules.

From 04:00 Tuesday 7 December all people aged 12 years and over must take a PCR or LFD Covid-19 test before they travel to England from abroad.  The Department of Health and Social Care has confirmed to BTN that the pre-departure test is additional so the post arrival rules regarding testing still apply.

Transport Minister Grant Shapps, who has a good grasp of the situation, only two days ago was saying that a change in the rules was not necessary.  Where does it leave him?  

The surprise announcement met with a swift negative response from all the organisations involved with the industry led by the British carriers and their trade organisation Airlines UK.

“It is premature to hit millions of passengers and industry before we see the full data. We don’t have the clinical evidence. The red list extension made complete sense – that’s what it’s there for – but we know from experience that blanket restrictions do not stop the importation of variants. It’s already here. They’ve now changed their travel advice twice within a week and it’s just impossible for anyone to plan. These measures must be removed as quickly as possible in line with the speed of the booster programme,” said Tim Alderslade, Chief Executive, Airlines UK.

Clive Wratten, CEO of the Business Travel Association (BTA), summed up: “The introduction of pre-departure testing with little warning is a hammer blow to the business travel industry. It directly contradicts the Transport Secretary’s announcement this week. Public safety is a priority, but, businesses will fail, travellers will be stranded and livelihoods devastated by the lack of coherent plans from Government.”

www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-testing-for-people-travelling-to-england

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OUR READERS' FINEST WORDS (All times and dates are GMT)

All comments are filtered to exclude any excesses but the Editor does not have to agree with what is being said. 100 words maximum

Barry Graham, United States

These rules need to be changed. To require testing when you are vaccinated is over cautious, especially when you have to wear masks on the plane. Then to require another test with quarantine is completely going overboard, and all this for a variant that most likely is beneficial in terms of antibodies and lack of severe sickness, for most of those catching it.

Simon Grigor, Harrow

I just don't get it with the PCR requirement: scientists have said that Lateral Flow Tests are pretty much as good as the PCRs in spotting Covid. If someone tests positive on a LFT, of course then have them do a PCR immediately so it can be sequenced in case it's Omicron. The cynic in me thinks that someone somewhere is making a tidy sum from all this.

Paddy Diskin, France, Grand Champ

Apparently, Ireland has been excluded from the "abroad" category.

Jacob Jones, Newcastle

At the end of the day it is the PM who makes the decision. For the most part he has got it right but this time he must put his hand up and say he has make a mistake. Nothing wrong with taking the test on the way in, but again when arrived. It’s just making VAT for the government and lining the pockets of the pop-up jabbers.