Transport secretary Grant Shapps is set to scrap blanket travel quarantine restrictions in time for Christmas so that people can travel to high-risk “red list” countries to visit relatives.
Shapps will announce the changes to the controversial travel quarantine restrictions later today, according to the Telegraph.
Plans have been coming togethre for weeks to launch a ‘test and release’ scheme, that will let returning travellers reduce their self-isolation period once they test negative for Covid-19 after arrival back in the UK.
Since 10 July, business travellers and holiday makers have risked needing to self-isolate for 14 upon arrival back into the UK if their destination was placed on the high-risk red-list.
A list of quarantine-free travel corridors, destinations deemed safe to travel to without the need to self-isolate on return, has changed as infection rates increased in Europe but fell elsewhere in the autumn.
Under Shapps’ new plan, those returning from high-risk countries which do not have a a travel corridor will be able to order a Covid test, and if they test negative on the fifth day back in the UK, can be free.
The PCR tests are expected to cost between £130 and £180.
International holidays have since effectively banned since the second nationwide lockdown in England.