In an online event for the aviation industry, Airlines 2050, Grant Shapps, UK Minister for Transport, spoke of his plans to reduce quarantine by introducing testing. He indicated that he expects government procedures to be in place to allow a reduction in quarantine by 1 December, providing the private sector can accommodate the demand for tests. Given the rapid expanse of testing sites, I think this is feasible providing there are no further NHS testing issues since they all tend to use the same labs.
The initial part of his speech was basically him trying to justify the government’s actions so far. The most ironic statement was that the government had had to make very difficult decisions about travel very quickly. Let’s just recap – they shut the borders in June, 3 months after lockdown. Until that point pretty much anyone could enter the UK from anywhere. We were one of only a handful of countries in the entire world that had no border restrictions until that point. Then when Europe was reopening its borders we had effectively closed ours. A month later travel corridors were introduced. These have now been reduced to a tiny number of destinations and many of the places excluded have far fewer cases than the UK. Airlines have been calling for testing to reduce quarantine for months, yet we are still not much further forward except that we have a date when it may start. We seem to be months behind most of the world when it comes to travel protocols.
In his speech, Grant effectively ruled out the use of tests on arrival saying it would not capture enough people with COVID. The only good news was that he did have a goal of 1 December for quarantine to reduce to 7 days with the use of a test. It is expected that the government will approve the plan to implement by early November.
He said that he views the task force as an implementation phase rather than a research phase. He says it has already been decided that we do not need two tests, just a period of isolation (expected to be up to 7 days). He also stated that testing may have to be in person unless they can find a way to guarantee who took the test. This means if that is the case, there will be an extra cost and it will be harder to have enough capacity to cope with the demand. PHE will specify what the standard of testing required is and then the private sector will have to supply that.
He was asked if he saw a two-tier system for business and leisure travellers as a possibility. In true politician standard, he dodged the issue slightly but did give an interesting answer. He is working with the US to develop an ICAO recognised system worldwide that could reduce quarantine to a much lower amount with perhaps some quarantine before and after travel. Or most interestingly, that if rapid tests become cheap and reliable, that a series of daily rapid tests could replace quarantine altogether. Rapid testing is being used by airlines in the US already but is not regarded as reliable enough to be used in the UK yet.
However, there is still the issue of insurance as most insurance companies will not cover you for travel against FCO advice.
Mr Shapps also said he was very keen to allow people to travel but in a way to protect the domestic population.
2 comments
I come here to read interesting news about the industry not your personal political views. “Let’s recap” – he is an elected representative responsible for transport strategy with input from teams of medical experts who has to balance these against many competing valid and invalid demands; and you?
Keep to the news, Michele, not the politics – please.
With respect Jez, this is a blog, not a news channel. The whole point of blogs is to give your opinion. You don’t need to agree with it but I am entitled to voice my opinion on my own website. I would also like to question what in that part of the article is opinion rather than fact? It’s not my opinion that we shut borders 3 months into the pandemic. It’s fact. It’s fact we were one of only 2 or 3 countries with no border restrictions at that point. We introduced travel corridors. Fact. Europe reopened. Fact. There are few travel corridors left. Fact. You are making it political. I don’t care what party is in charge. It’s a fact that the travel industry in the UK is on its knees and government policy has contributed to that.
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