A new year, and a new travel testing regime - although, in truth, it’s actually more of a return to one of the many that went before...
The latest government review of inbound travel restrictions, announced on 5 January, finally gave holidaymakers something to smile about.
Gone is the pre-departure Covid test for travellers about to embark on a journey to the UK; gone is the “day two” PCR test for arrivals, swapped for a cheaper lateral flow; and gone is the need to self-isolate while you await the result. If it sounds familiar, it’s because this represents a return to the less hassle-intensive rules that prevailed between 24 October and 30 November last year.
(All of the above is only true, of course, for fully vaccinated adults and those aged under 18. Everyone else must continue to follow the previous rules for unvaccinated adults: a pre-departure negative test and 10 days’ quarantine on arrival, with two PCR tests to be taken on days two and eight.)
The rule changes will take effect from staggered dates - from 4am on Friday, pre-departure tests and the need to self-isolate while awaiting the day two test result will be scrapped, while a lateral flow will suffice instead of a PCR test from Sunday.
So how do all of the latest changes affect your travel plans going into the new year?
Our expert Simon Calder will be on hand to answer all your travel questions in an ‘Ask me Anything’ event this afternoon (Thursday 6 January). He will be answering live in the comments section below between 4pm and 5pm.
Register to submit your question in the comments box under this article. If you’re not already a member, click “sign up” in the comments section to leave your question.
Don’t worry if you can’t see your question – they will be hidden until Simon joins the conversation to answer them.
