New regulations which will mean passengers arriving in England from abroad will have to prove they have a negative Covid test have been delayed until Monday 18 January.
The Department for Transport said in a statement, “If you are arriving in England before 4am on 18 January 2021, you are under no legal obligation to get a test before you travel. You should not be denied boarding for failing to provide proof of a negative test result, and will not be fined on arrival into England.”
“We still encourage you to comply with this guidance and get a test if possible.”
The new rules were originally due to come into force on Friday 15 January. At the time of writing, the Scottish government still plans to bring in the new measures at 4am that day.
The government has also announced the minimum requirements for the type of test taken.
The test must meet performance standards of ≥97% specificity, ≥80% sensitivity at viral loads above 100,000 copies/ml. This this could include tests such as:
• a nucleic acid test, including a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test or derivative technologies, including loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) tests;
• an antigen test, such as a test from a lateral flow device.
The government says that the notice of the test result must be in English, French or Spanish and include personal contact details, the name and contact details for the test provider and the type of test performed. The result can be shown to the transport provider as an email, a text message or as a printed document.