The UK government has announced that all international passengers will soon mandatorily have to test negative for COVID-19 before travelling to the UK. Individuals travelling by by plane, train or boat, including UK nationals, will have to take a test up to 72 hours before leaving the country they are in. These new measures will be implemented over and above the present rule to self-isolate for ten days after arriving in the country. 

A pre-departure testing regime seems to be the need of the hour

Transport secretary, Grant Shapps, confirmed that the government was keen to implement this rule now because of the new variant of the virus that’s been circulating. Stewart Wingate, chief executive, Gatwick Airport commented: “We have long been an advocate of pre-departure testing and this announcement brings us in line with many other countries and closer to having a consistent, internationally coordinated pre-departure testing regime.”

He added: “When current lockdown restrictions are eased, and infection rates decrease, pre-departure testing could ultimately encourage frequent international travel to restart by eliminating the need for arriving passengers to quarantine.”

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