TRAVELLERS must take a COVID test before returning to the UK as the government stepped up the fight against the Omicron variant.
Ministers in Westminster signed off on new measures this afternoon deciding that those returning will need a negative PCR or lateral flow test in the 48 hours before coming home.
The move, from 4am Tuesday, has enraged the ailing travel industry as holidaymakers face the added burden of hundreds of pounds for foreign trips.
Travel consultant Paul Charles said: “Yet again, the travel sector is going to suffer with these measures on top of the fact many people will abandon, cancel or re-book what they have booked for the next few weeks.”
Airlines UK boss Tim Alderslade said: “It’s premature to hit millions of passengers and ind- ustry before we see full data.”
Scotland and Wales also announced the same rules will apply for anyone arriving there, with Northern Ireland expected to follow suit.
The move will enrage the ailing travel industry as holidaymakers face the burden of added costs of foreign trips from Tuesday.
It came as the UK Health Security Agency said a further 26 cases of the Omicron variant have been reported across the UK, with 25 of these in England.
It means the total number of confirmed cases of the variant in the UK now stands at 160, the agency said.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps and Health Secretary Sajid Javid led a virtual COVID-O meeting after Omicron cases were found in forty countries.
Mr Javid said the measures were “hugely unfortunate” but insisted they would be temporary”.
He added: “We want to remove them as soon as we possibly can.”
The introduction of pre-departure Covid tests for travellers entering England has been branded a “devastating blow” for travel by the chief executive of the Airport Operators Association.
Karen Dee said that the policy, beginning on December 7, will act as a “major deterrent” to travel.
“This is a devastating blow for aviation and tourism,” she said.
“Pre-departure tests act as a major deterrent to travel and most of the limited remaining demand following the reintroduction of self-isolation will now fall away, just as airports were hoping for a small uplift over the Christmas holiday.
“Travel and aviation are the only sectors hit with any operating restrictions in response to the Omicron variant. The UK and devolved governments should have done the right thing and, alongside the restrictions, announced support for our businesses and our staff to get through another period of shutdown.”
‘DEVASTATING BLOW’
Ministers acted after early evidence suggested the gap between infection and being infectious is shorter than the Delta variant meaning cases can be caught sooner.
The decision will be reviewed on December 18 in line with other COVID measures such as the wearing of face masks on public transport.
It effectively means travellers will have to take at least two tests within four days to comply with all COVID measures.
It marks a re-introduction of the measures that were familiar with travellers coming to the UK up until last October.
Nigeria became a ‘red’ list country joining others including South Africa which will require UK nationals self-isolate at home and others to book a government-approved hotel quarantine for ten days.
Meanwhile, Labour last night called on the government to cap the price of PCR tests for individuals taking day 2 PCR tests in the UK.
Shadow Transport Secretary Louise Haigh wants action before the festive period begins.
She said: “Many flying home for their first Christmas since the pandemic began, will be hit with scandalous testing costs.
“Unscrupulous private providers are pocketing millions, and leaving many families forced to shell out huge sums.
“Ministers are sitting on their hands while people who want to do the right thing are paying the price for this broken market.
A UKHSA spokesperson said: “There are currently a wide range of tests available online and we continue working to make the market fair and transparent for everyone.”
‘SCANDALOUS’ TESTING COSTS
It comes as the World Health Organisation said they had not seen any reports of deaths related to Omicron, but the new variant’s spread has led to warnings that it could cause more than half of Europe’s Covid cases in the next few months.
Cases of the new strain have been recorded in a total of 38 countries with the US and Australia becoming the latest countries to report cases of the variant.
Australia reported two overseas travellers arriving two Sydney tested positive for the new variant.
The passengers were among a group of 14 others who arrived in Australia from southern Africa.
They were asymptomatic and were both vaccinated for COVID-19. The remaining 12 have been placed in quarantine.
Meanwhile, fears over a Christmas lockdown have been mounting, with experts warning that Covid could ruin holiday celebrations over the “next five years” until it settles in an endemic state.
But Mr Johnson said Christmas parties should not be cancelled while Tory chief Oliver Dowden urged Brits to go to the pub and insisted people must “keep calm and carry on.”
The UK’s infection toll hit 50,584 yesterday and143 deaths, bringing the total virus deaths since the beginning of the pandemic to 145, 424.
