(Videos) Travellers to Britain will take PCR Covid test 48 hours before departure starting on Tuesday…Xmas as usual
The new measures will come into force from 4 am on December 7 for all travellers, regardless of vaccination
All international arrivals to the UK will again have to take pre-departure Covid tests in a bid to tackle the Omicron variant, the health secretary has confirmed.
All travellers, regardless of vaccination status, who are visiting England, Scotland and Wales, or returning home after a holiday will be required to take either a pre-departure lateral flow or PCR test under the new restrictions.
The measures, which Sajid Javid insisted are ‘temporary’, will come into force from 4am on December 7 amid concerns about the Omicron variant spreading.
The UK Health Security Agency has now said a further 26 cases of the Omicron variant were reported across the UK, with 25 of these in England, meaning the total number of confirmed cases of the variant in Britain now stands at 160.
It comes just one day after Transport Secretary Grant Shapps assured travellers that pre-departure tests would not be introduced, marking more muddled messaging from Government ministers over Omicron measures.
The Government had already introduced a requirement for all UK arrivals to take a PCR test on or before the second day following their arrival in the country. Travellers must self-isolate until they test negative.
But today, Mr Javid confirmed travellers will also have to take pre-departure lateral flow or PCR tests, saying the measures are being brought in due to an ‘increasing number of cases linked to travel’.
In a tweet, the Health Secretary said: ‘In light of the most recent data we are taking further action to slow the incursion of the Omicron variant.’
The introduction of the tests has been described as a ‘devastating blow’ to the travel industry, with aviation officials saying the rapid change in entry requirements has made it ‘impossible’ for the industry to plan ahead.
Nigeria has also been added to the red list for international travel from 4am on December 6, meaning all travellers returning to the UK will be required to quarantine on their arrival in managed accommodation for 10 days.
Acknowledging that the new requirements are ‘hugely unfortunate’ for those who already have travel plans, he added: ‘We want to remove them as soon as we possibly can.’
The Scottish Government has also announced that travellers arriving in the country will also be required to take pre-departure Covid tests from 4am on December 7 to help slow the spread of the Omicron variant.
International travellers will have to provide a negative pre-departure test taken two days before travelling, in addition to a negative PCR test on or before day two after arrival, under measures agreed on a four-nation basis.
The Scottish Government said the changes were informed by a UK Health Security Agency risk assessment.
