People returning to the UK will only have to quarantine for 7 days
The quarantine period for those returning to the UK has been cut to 7 days as the government plans to radically change travel restrictions. Anyone who comes from overseas must currently self-isolate for 14 days unless they have travelled from one of the few exempt destinations.
Grant Shapps told the virtual ABTA travel industry conference on Tuesday that travellers will begin to self-isolate at home before taking a coronavirus test a week after landing.
The Transport Secretary also ruled out testing on arrival at UK airports and ports.
It comes after the UK’s travel sector’s repeated calls for testing at airports to reduce quarantine periods. Shapps told the conference, “We’re proposing a domestic test regime, where people land and wait a week, have a test and get an early release. We’re also proposing an internationally recognised system, in which Britain would be a trailblazer, where tests and isolation take place before travel and after travel and would require no quarantine.”
He also revealed that they were proposing an internationally recognized system, in which Britain would be a trailblazer, where tests and isolation take place before travel and after travel and would require no quarantine
However, Mr Shapps didn’t tell the exact starting date for the planned testing scheme.
He insisted that the importance of the travel and tourism sectors is “appreciated and understood by everyone in Government”. He also added that the government have been working flat out all summer to try to revive tourism and travel.
“We created those travel corridors, to give families the chance to enjoy a holiday after those months of lockdown. But from the very start, we’ve had to be cautious because as we know, new Covid spikes risk wider restrictions down the line and ultimately, even more pain for travel firms.” Shapps said.
Mr Shapps also announced that travel from Lesvos, Tinos, Serifos, Santorini and Zakynthos will no longer require self-isolation upon arrival in England and that no countries are being added to the “red list” The week before, Mr Shapps added Turkey and Poland to the quarantine list as well as the Caribbean islands of Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba.
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