Covid travel tests to be axed in England for vaccinated arrivals

 

People arriving in England from abroad will no longer have to take Covid tests if they are fully vaccinated, the government has confirmed.

The changes will be introduced from 4 am on 11 February "in time for the half-term break", said Transport Secretary Grant Sharps.

Rules have also been eased for unvaccinated travelers, who will no longer have to take a day eight test.

However, they will still need pre-departure and day two tests.

And everyone arriving in England, regardless of vaccination status, will need to fill in a passenger locator form - although these would be made "simpler and easier" to complete, Mr Sharps said.

Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have previously followed England's lead, but any changes are for them to decide.

What are the travel rules?

In a statement to the House of Commons, Mr Shapps said: "Today I can confirm that our international travel regime will now be liberalized as part of our efforts to ensure that 2022 is the year in which restrictions on travel, on lockdowns, and limits on people's lives are firmly placed in the past many business listings."

He said: "From 4 am on February 11, and in time for the half-term break, eligible fully-vaccinated passengers arriving in the UK will no longer have to take a post-arrival lateral flow test.

"That means that after months of pre-departure testing, post-arrival testing, self-isolation, additional expense, all that fully vaccinated people will now have to do when they travel to the UK, is to verify their status via a passenger locator form.

'It's one less thing to worry about

Dan Hawker from Reigate in Surrey is planning to travel to Italy on a skiing trip with his son in the half-term holiday.

"I was geared up for having to do all the tests and the forms that I needed to," he says, adding that today's news was "a welcome change".

"It's one less thing to worry about," he says. "It's a bit less costly, but also it's a bit less stress. So overall, hopefully, we can focus on having a nice holiday instead of worrying about the paperwork."

Dan and his family have only traveled abroad once since the pandemic started, but he hopes that as the rules ease, planning holidays will become more straightforward.

"I'm quite happy there are fewer barriers, it makes me feel more confident going away from that point of view," he says. However, safety remains his number one priority: "If a new variant came along or something changed and the rules had to be revisited, I for one would understand that."

'Landmark day'

The move was welcomed by the travel and tourism industry, which has been one of the sectors hit hardest by coronavirus lockdown measures business listings.

Airline Virgin Atlantic said: "The removal of all testing for vaccinated passengers is the final step in moving towards frictionless air travel, allowing passengers to reconnect with loved ones and business colleagues.

"It restores customer confidence and demand will be boosted in a critical booking window for the travel industry."

Johan Lundgren, chief executive of EasyJet, said the airline would "now look ahead to what we believe will be a strong summer".

He said: "It is clear travel restrictions did not materially slow the spread of Omicron in the UK and so it is important that there are no more knee-jerk reactions to future variants."

However, the Laboratory and Testing Industry Organisation, the trade body for the industry, warned rules had been lifted too quickly.

Its chairman Tom Watson said: "We have consistently backed relaxing unnecessary restrictions, but the only way that our country can avoid hard lockdowns is by maintaining a robust Covid testing regime to quickly discover new variants."

·         What are the travel rules?

·         Covid test firm urges end to tests for travelers

Currently, fully vaccinated passengers, who have had two doses (or one dose of the Janssen vaccine), and under-18s no longer need a pre-departure test two days before traveling to the UK.

However, within 48 hours of arrival, everyone aged five and over - or 11 and over in Scotland - must take a lateral flow test (LFT), or a more expensive PCR test.

If they take an LFT and it is positive, they must self-isolate and take an NHS PCR test to confirm the result.

Vaccinated travelers also have to fill in and submit an online passenger locator form no more than 48 hours before arriving, even if they are just passing through the UK.

But Mr Shapps said the form, which had been "complex and difficult to navigate", would now be made simpler and travelers would have an extra day to fill it in free business listings.

He also confirmed that from 3 February, 12 to 15-year-olds in England will be able to prove their vaccination status via the digital NHS pass for international outbound travel.

Mr Shapps also told MPs the UK is set to recognize vaccine certificates from 16 further nations, including countries like China and Mexico. This will take the total number of recognized countries and territories to 180.

He said this would not only "boost" the UK economy but also help the aviation industry to "take back to the skies".

Earlier in January, the government scrapped the need for fully vaccinated travelers coming to England to take a Covid test before they travel.

However, arrivals who are not fully vaccinated must take a pre-departure test and two post-arrival PCR tests, which are more expensive than the lateral flow version.

They must also self-isolate for 10 days.

More on this story

·         Covid test firm urges end to tests for travelers

·         How are travel rules being relaxed?

·         Heathrow warns return to normal travel years away

Related Topics

·         Travel

·         Coronavirus testing

·         Air travel

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Covid test firm urges end to tests for travelers

Covid tests for travelers arriving in the UK should be scrapped, one of the big testing firms has said.

Simon Worrell, global medical director of Collinson - which also runs airport lounges - said: "As soon as we can drop it, we will be delighted."

At present, all those aged five and over arriving in England must take a test within 48 hours of arriving.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Wednesday the government was reviewing testing arrangements for travel.

He said the Health Secretary Sajid Javid would announce the outcome of the review in the coming days.

Mr Worrell said Collinson, which has a large travel business that includes running customer services in airports, launched its testing sites early in the pandemic in a bid to prop up the travel industry, which a large part of his business depends on.

But now, with more people able to return to the skies, the requirement for people to test on arrival has become more of a hindrance to the business, because it may put them off traveling.

·         What are the travel rules?

·         Pre-departure Covid travel tests to be scrapped

The travel industry has continually voiced its objection to testing. Manchester Airports Group and Airlines UK on Friday renewed their calls for testing rules to become a thing of the past for fully vaccinated travelers.

But virologists have expressed caution. Dr Stephen Griffin from the University of Leeds said: "You have a moral responsibility to monitor and to know if you're infectious. It is a good idea to test."

Collinson was one of the first operators to run Covid testing stations at airports and also distributes tests through the post. It partners with a number of UK airlines and travel operators.

Mr Worrell said: "Airport testing was only ever supposed to be a band-aid, a temporary solution to get trade and tourism staggering whilst we build up immunity and we are able to fight the virus by ourselves. We are at that point now.

"The link between getting infected and hospitalization has been broken. We are in a fantastic place - the envy of the world, I think."

'Rip-off'

Covid testing for travelers has been controversial and the government has faced criticism over its regulation of the sector.

Consumer rights groups said the Department for Health and Social Care had not done enough to protect consumers from what was called a "predictable Covid rip-off".

The government did launch an investigation to remove operators who were selling tests that, in some instances, were too cheap or not available at the price advertised.

But those in the medical community are alarmed that testing for those arriving back in the UK could be removed.

Dr Eleanor Gaunt, who investigates the genetic coding of viruses at the University of Edinburgh, said: "I fully agree that this needs to happen, but the timing is premature.

"It is entirely possible that Omicron will be succeeded by a new variant and possibly one that can circumvent immunity provided by vaccination and previous infection.

"Therefore we need eyes on what viruses are moving where, until the virus becomes more predictable and endemic."

Yet not everyone in the scientific community believes testing for travelers arriving into the UK should remain.

Dr Bharat Pankhania, from the University Exeter Medical School, believes that it is time for travel tests to end, as long as community testing remains in place to identify variants of concern.

More on this story

·         Pre-departure Covid travel tests to be scrapped

·         How are travel rules being relaxed?

Related Topics

·         Companies

·         Travel

·         Coronavirus testing

·         Travel & leisure industry

·         Coronavirus pandemic

What Covid tests do I still need to travel abroad?

 

From next month, fully vaccinated people traveling to England will no longer have to take any Covid tests - either before departure or after arrival.

Making the announcement, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said that testing vaccinated travelers had "outlived its usefulness".

What changes are coming into force?

From 04:00 GMT on 11 February, fully vaccinated travelers (who have had two doses) and under-18s will no longer need to take a lateral flow test two days after they arrive in England.

Travelers who are not fully vaccinated will no longer have to self-isolate on arrival or take a test on day eight. However, they will still have to show proof of a negative Covid test taken two days before they travel, and they must still take a post-arrival PCR test.

All passengers will still need to fill in a passenger locator form.

The transport secretary also announced that:

·         vaccinations from 16 more countries - including China and Mexico - would be recognized, meaning that vaccinated people from 118 nations would be able to enter England

·         From 3 February, 12 to 15-year-olds in England would be able to prove their vaccination status via the digital NHS pass for international outbound travel.

What are the current rules for vaccinated travelers to the UK?

Fully vaccinated passengers (who have had two doses) and under-18s no longer need a pre-departure test two days before traveling to the UK.

However, within 48 hours of arrival, everyone aged five and over (11 and over in Scotland) must take a lateral flow test (LFT), or a more expensive PCR test.

The test must be bought from a private test provider - free NHS tests cannot be used.

If they take an LFT and it is positive, they must self-isolate and take an NHS PCR test to confirm the result.

Vaccinated travelers also have to fill in and submit an online passenger locator form no more than 48 hours before arriving, even if they are just passing through the UK.

What are the travel rules for everyone else?

Before departure:

All unvaccinated travelers to the UK must complete a passenger locator form, and take an LFT or PCR the 48 hours before departure.

The test can be taken either in the country where you start your journey or in another country end route to the UK.

If you test positive, you must follow the rules in the country you're in, and not travel onwards to the UK.

After arrival:

If you've not been fully vaccinated you must quarantine for 10 days after arrival in the UK.

You must also take two PCR tests - on days two and eight of your quarantine.

These must be booked before traveling to the UK and bought privately from a government-approved list of providers.

Travelers to England also have the option of ending quarantine under the Test to Release scheme - this involves taking a private PCR test after five days of isolation. A negative test will allow them to leave quarantine, although they must still take another PCR test on day eight.

These rules do not apply to travelers from Ireland, the Channel Islands, or the Isle of Man unless they have been in another country in the 10 days before their departure for the UK.

How do I prove vaccinations and test results at the UK border?

Digital Covid passes showing your vaccination status can be downloaded to your phone, whether you're in England, Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland.

Test results can be in the form of a printed document, or an email or text on your phone. They must be in English, French, or Spanish.

European Union residents can use the EU Digital Covid Certificate to show their vaccination status or test results.

·       Where do I need to use a Covid passport?

What about other countries rules?

You need to check the UK Foreign Office website for entry requirements of any other countries you visit. These can change quickly.

Covid passes issued in the UK can be used throughout the EU to show proof of vaccination - either digitally, or as a printed download (as long as it is dated later than 1 November 2021).

Related Internet Links

·         UK government travel advice

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Related Topics

·         Tourism

·         Spain

·         France

·         Coronavirus lockdown measures

·         Public health

·         Holidays

·         Coronavirus vaccines

·         Self-isolation

·         Air travel

·         Coronavirus pandemic

Heathrow Airport warns return to normal travel years away

At least 600,000 passengers scrapped plans to fly from Heathrow Airport last month as the Omicron coronavirus strain sparked tougher travel restrictions.

Heathrow boss John Holland-Kaye said it underlined the crisis in the industry and the uncertainty facing travelers.

A return to normal "could be years away", the chief executive of the UK's busiest airport warned.

Just 19.4 million passengers passed through Heathrow in 2021 - 12.3% below 2020, the year the pandemic began.

Last year's number, the lowest for Heathrow for 50 years, was less than a quarter of the pre-pandemic levels seen in 2019. Mr Holland-Kaye said it was time for all coronavirus testing measures to be dropped for fully-vaccinated people.

Fears over the Omicron Covid variant meant that, from late November, all travelers arriving in the UK were required to take a pre-departure lateral flow test and self-isolate until they received a negative result from a post-arrival PCR test.

This led to many people scrapping their travel plans over the festive period.

The new rules were relaxed for fully-vaccinated arrivals last week after travel firms said they were ineffective due to Omicron spreading widely within the UK. That move sparked a rush of bookings, airlines reported.

·       What tests do I need to go on holiday?

Mr Holland-Kaye said: "There are currently travel restrictions, such as testing, on all Heathrow routes - the aviation industry will only fully recover when these are all lifted and there is no risk that they will be re-imposed at short notice, a situation which is likely to be years away."

 

John Holland-Kaye says the aviation regulator could help ease the uncertainty.

He warned this creates "enormous uncertainty" for the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the aviation regulator, as it prepares to set a five-year cap on Heathrow's passenger charges.

"The regulator must focus on an outcome that improves service, incentivizes growth, and maintains affordable private financing."

The CAA increased the cap on Heathrow's price per passenger from £19.60 to £30.19 from 1 January, sparking complaints from airlines that the rise was far too high.

The CAA is expected to announce a long-term cap running from the summer to 2027 in the coming weeks.

Heathrow said travel to and from the Asia-Pacific region in 2021 was particularly badly hit, down 40.3% from a year earlier.

The other markets with double-digit reductions were non-EU Europe (down 13.8%) and North America (down 13.6%).