Announcement On Scrapping PCR Test For Travellers ‘In Coming Days’ – Grant Shapps
NurPhoto via Getty Images
An announcement on scrapping PCR tests for travel ahead of half-term will be made in the “coming days”, the transport secretary has said.
Grant Shapps said they “anticipate” having the change ready before the week-long break later this month.
It means the cost of a family holiday will drop by hundreds of pounds, with PCR tests costing around £75 each on average.
They are set to be replaced by lateral flow tests which cost around £25.
It comes after the government reduced England’s travel “red list” to just seven countries – down from 54.
Asked to give a date for when they would move from PCR to lateral flow, Shapps told Sky News: “We want to get this done for half term for people.
“I know my colleagues over at health, and to a certain extend the home office…are working extremely hard on getting this done.
“We anticipate having it ready for the half term and what a difference it will make for people, rather than having to do things like send off the test and wait for the results.
“As people will be familiar with the lateral flow, you read it on the cassette there and then, it shows your result within a few minutes, and [it’s] much easier, much less expensive as well.”
Pressed on when the public could expect an announcement, he replied: “In the coming days.
“We know when obviously the half term is coming up and my advice to people would be just to hold off.”
Last night it was announced that 47 destinations including South Africa will be removed from England’s red list on Monday.
It means the travel red list will be reduced to Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Haiti, Panama, Peru and Venezuela.
More follows…
About Author
