Testing reducing quarantine time

On 24 November the Department of Transport announced international arrivals to the UK will be able to reduce their quarantine period, if they able to return a negative COVID-19 test after 5 days self-isolation.

All COVID-19 tests will be privately funded by the passenger, carried out from an approved testing provider. Full details on testing providers and types of COVID-19 tests accepted will be released in the following weeks by the Department of Transport. 

This change in policy will mean passengers arriving from destinations not included in the government’s travel corridors list will have to enter a period of self-isolation, before being offered the opportunity to reduce quarantine by carrying out the privately funded COVID-19 test. There is no change to the process of arriving from countries currently included on the travel corridors list. 

See the Department of Transport full press release for more details.

Full statement from Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye:
Today’s announcement can kickstart the UK’s economic recovery and help the many businesses that rely on international trade to plan with confidence and protect jobs.  The UK government’s testing strategy has the potential to become world leading. We encourage Ministers to use this as a platform to move to regular testing as an alternative to quarantine and the introduction of a Common International Standard for pre-departure testing which will allow international travel to get back to normal as soon as possible.

Further details from today's announcement are expected in the coming weeks. The rules are expected to come into force from 15 December.