LONDON (Reuters) – Britain is greater testing of all individuals who have arrived from overseas whereas they are self-isolating to defend against new variants of the virus that causes COVID-19, a minister mentioned on Tuesday.
Airlines have been brought to their knees by the pandemic, with travel restrictions forcing once fast-growing manufacturers like Norwegian to fight for survival while established names like British Airways have raised cash and laid off thousands of employees.
ITV reported that all international arrivals would have to be tested for COVID-19 on the second and eighth days of their self-isolation.
“We’re constantly refining our approach to the border simply because there is a risk from new variants coming from different nations around the globe,” Environment Secretary George Eustice told Times Radio.
“Till we have fully rolled out the vaccine and identified a method to be able to update the vaccine to meet new challenges we do have to exercise some caution about international travel,” he mentioned.
Arrivals in England should currently have proof of a negative COVID-19 check in the past three days and then self isolate for 10 days from departure.
The British government is due to requiring travelers arriving from COVID-19 hot spots to quarantine in hotels from Feb. 15. Travelers from nations deemed high risk such as South Africa would have to stay for 10 days in such hotels.
However, the government is still in talks with hotels on the measures, which have been introduced in places like Australia in March 2020.
“These discussions haven’t but concluded so there aren’t inns but,” Eustice advised LBC Radio.
