Travellers into England Now Able to Use Cheaper Covid-19 Tests
24th October 2021
Last modified on October 25th, 2021
People returning to England now need to take lateral flow test instead of the more expensive PCR test. However with surging Covid-19 cases in the UK there are worries that some European nations may not welcome people from the UK with a huge impact on the ski season. UPDATED
Fully-vaccinated people arriving from a non-red list country can now use a lateral flow test on, or before, day two of their return.
The government said the move was a ‘huge boost’ for the travel industry and has been widely welcomed by skiers and snowboarder as the season gets underway.
It will help those currently skiing on the glacier resorts that are open in the Alps at the moment.
Image ©Hintertuxer Gletscher
Wales will make the same change a week later.
Scotland and Northern Ireland have indicated they may follow suit.
The lateral flow tests must be bought from private providers with prices listed on the government website starting at £19.
Passengers need to book tests before travelling to the UK.
They must send a picture of their lateral flow test to verify the result.
Failure to do so could result in a fine of £1,000.
It comes as cvoid-19 spreads with alarming rate in the UK and worries grow that further restrictions may be imposed on UK arrivals.
Morocco has already banned people arriving from the UK.
Some scientists are calling for stricter measures in the UK to reduce the growing number of Covid-19 cases.
These could include mandatory face coverings in indoor spaces and working from home.
It could lead to a significant reduction in the “unacceptable” number of Covid-19 cases in the UK, said Prof Peter Openshaw, a member of the New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (Nervtag).
He said the level of infections in England is an “astonishingly high rate” compared with other western European countries.
The UK has 488 covid cases per 100,000 people, (figures reported on 25th October 2021).
Here are the corresponding figures for the main skiing nations in Europe with cases from October 13th in brackets.
The UK.s figure on 13th October was 396.
Austria – 256 (143)
Switzerland – 90 (74)
Andorra – 85 (46)
Norway – 76 (60)
France – 54 (44)
Sweden – 39 (38)
Italy – 38 (30)
Spain – 28 (21)
Air travel to the Alps. Image © PlanetSKI.
