Costly PCR tests will be ditched before half term for people after they return to England, a Cabinet minister said on Friday.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said holidaymakers and other travellers would have to take a lateral flow test instead, which could save a family of four around £200.
If they test positive, they would then take a PCR test.
As bookings started to soar as the number of countries on the red list was slashed from more than 50 to just seven, Mr Shapps told Sky News the Government was seeking to ditch the PCR requirement before October 22 for people returning from countries not on this list.
“We want to get this done for half term for people,” he said.
“My colleagues over at health and to a certain extent the Home Office, they are the people who will have to implement this change, are working extremely hard on getting this done, and so we anticipate having it ready for the half term.
“What a difference it will make for people rather than having to do things like send off a test and wait for the result, people will be familiar with the lateral flow, you read it on the cassette there and then.
“It shows you the result in a few minutes.”
