Travellers to the UK will once again be required to take a
pre-departure Covid-19 test from 0400 on 7 December as global cases of the
Omicron variant continue to rise.
Under the new rule, anyone over the age of 12 travelling to
the UK from countries and territories not on the red list must show proof of a
negative PCR or lateral flow test taken no earlier than 48 hours before
departure, even if they are fully vaccinated against Covid-19.
The Department for Transport said the narrow window for
testing is based on analysis by the UK Health and Security Agency, which
believes the time between infection with Omicron and infectiousness may be
shorter than previous Covid-19 variants.
Airlines will be required to check passengers’ pre-departure
test results alongside their completed passenger locator form. The DfT said
anyone failing to provide a negative result will not be allowed to board their
flight.
According to the UK government, the measure is “vital to
delaying the import of additional cases and slow the rise in cases within the UK”.
There are currently more than 240 confirmed cases of the Omicron variant in the
country.
Health and social care secretary Sajid Javid commented: “As
our world-leading scientists continue to understand more about the Omicron
variant we are taking decisive action to protect public health and the progress
of our Covid-19 vaccination programme.”
The government had already announced last week that lateral
flow tests would no longer be accepted for the day two testing requirement upon arrival in the UK. All vaccinated travellers are now required to book a PCR test and must self-isolate until they
receive a negative result.
Transport secretary Grant Shapps said all travel measures
are temporary and will be reviewed on 20 December.
The travel industry has slammed the re-introduction of
pre-departure testing as a reactionary measure that will cause further damage
to an already struggling sector.
Clive Wratten, CEO of the Business Travel Association, said ‘livelihoods
will be devastated’ by the move. “The introduction of pre-departure testing
with little warning is a hammer blow to the business travel industry,” he
commented. “It directly contradicts the transport secretary’s announcement this
week. Public safety is a priority, but businesses will fail, travellers will be
stranded and livelihoods devastated by the lack of coherent plans from government.
“Today, travel as a whole is the only sector currently
facing operating restrictions in the UK, and this must be acknowledged, and
support provided by the government. Above all, the government must talk to the
industry and give us an exit plan that ensures the survival of our sector.”
Scott Davies, CEO of the Institute of Travel Management,
said: “We understand the government’s need for caution regarding the Omicron
variant, but the latest rule changes around pre-departure tests are cause for
concern in terms of the impact on business travel’s recovery. At the moment,
many of our buyer members’ organisations still have international travel bans
in place until January, so the immediate effect is not very noticeable.
However, we urge the UK government to ensure that testing is as streamlined and
cost effective as possible. We hope that the latest restrictions can be eased
as soon as reasonably possible, once the data and facts about the transmission
of this latest mutation are clear.”
A spokesperson for ABTA agreed that while public health must
be a priority, the UK government “must now step up to save jobs and businesses”
through financial support. The new measures will “significantly weaken demand and
the chancellor must now consider the reintroduction of furlough for the travel
industry to avoid further job losses”.
The spokesperson continued: “Travellers must also be supported
with measures taken to offset the cost of these additional tests by reducing
the cost of PCR testing – including a price cap and the removal of VAT.
“It’s vitally important this decision is reversed as quickly
as possible, in line with scientific and medical advice, as it is simply not
possible for the travel industry to recover properly while this huge barrier to
consumer confidence is in place.”
In addition to the testing change, Nigeria has now been
added to the travel red list, meaning only UK and Irish citizens and residents will be allowed to enter the country from the West African nation. Even vaccinated travellers will be
required to book and pay for managed hotel quarantine for 10 days and will have
to take PCR tests on days two and eight after arrival.
Nigeria joins South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana,
Lesotho, Eswatini, Angola, Mozambique, Malawi and Zambia on the red list.