Simon Calder discusses quarantine rules for flight passengers

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Boris Johnson announced the change in the House of Commons yesterday, along with changes to isolation rules for those coming to the UK from foreign countries. The change is the latest in a slew of changes to isolation and quarantine rules in England.

From 4am on Friday, fully vaccinated travellers returning to the UK will no longer be required to take a test before they arrive.

Under current rules, all fully vaccinated travellers aged 12 and older are required to show proof of a negative lateral flow or PCR test taken within 48 hours of coming to the UK.

Arrivals must also pay for a PCR test within two days of arriving and self isolate while awaiting results.

The change, which comes less than a month after being implemented, will remove significant costs for travellers that have previously held many back from going abroad.

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Why are quarantine measures being changed?

The UK is following a wider trend for scrapping quarantine rules not only for travellers, but also for domestic infections.

The Omicron variant, which is now spreading wildly throughout Europe and the UK, has caused major disruption to travel and a work arrangements.

The coronavirus variant, which is currently considered to be less severe according the UK research, has caused mass shortages of workers – including some 24,000 hospital staff absent due to sickness or isolation requirements on December 26.

Data currently suggests that one in 25 people in England had the virus last week.

But despite the overwhelming spread of the variant, the Government has changed self-isolation and testing rules for travel and for community cases.

Last month the rules on self-isolation in England changed to reduce the self-isolation period from 10 to seven days for people who have tested positive, provided they have a negative lateral flow test on both days six and seven, and they do not have a high temperature.

From January 11 in England, people who receive a positive from a lateral flow test will be required to self-isolate immediately – but won’t be required to take a confirmatory PCR test.

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Which other countries are scrapping quarantine?

Several European countries are changing tactics on quarantine.

Greece is the first country in Europe to announce it is moving to a record low of just five days’ quarantine for infected people, halving the period from 10 days.

The change follows new advice in America from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which has reduced the isolation period for asymptomatic people to five days.

France is also implementing shorter quarantine times for vaccinated people, with those testing positive only required to vaccinate for seven days.

Germany is also expected to change domestic isolation rules as soon as this Friday.

Europe is now accepting that the spread of the Omicron variant cannot be stopped, with Mr Johnson saying he hoped the UK could “ride out” the current wave.

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