• UK
  • World
    • USA
  • Entertainment
    • Celeb
    • Showbiz
    • Magazine
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Gaming
  • Tech
  • Science
    • Education
  • Insurance
  • Business
  • Auto
  • ToS/Contact
    • ToS
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
NewsExplored
  • UK
  • World
    • USA
  • Entertainment
    • Celeb
    • Showbiz
    • Magazine
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Gaming
  • Tech
  • Science
    • Education
  • Insurance
  • Business
  • Auto
  • ToS/Contact
    • ToS
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • LinkedIn

  • Tumblr

  • RSS

UK

Coronavirus: Labour demands airport testing review to cut quarantine

Coronavirus: Labour demands airport testing review to cut quarantine
Newsexplored
6th September 2020
5
SHARES
ShareTweet
SubscribeRedditGoogleWhatsappStumbleuponPinterestDiggLinkedinTumblrTelegram
Views:
2
A woman enters the coronavirus test area at Amsterdam Schiphol AirportImage copyright EPA

Airport coronavirus testing options should be explored as a way of cutting the number of travellers who must spend two weeks in quarantine, says Labour.

A review of “chaotic” quarantine rules should consider a “robust testing regime”, given the “dire warnings” from the travel industry, the party says.

PM Boris Johnson has said airport tests would identify only 7% of cases and so could give a “false sense of security”.

A government spokesman said assessment of how testing might help was ongoing.

“Any potential change to the testing for arrivals would need to be robust in minimising the chance that positive cases are missed,” he said.

The BBC has been told a cabinet decision on whether to introduce airport testing has been repeatedly postponed and now may never happen.

People entering the UK face 14 days of self-isolation unless they are travelling from countries that are exempt – a status determined by the separate authorities in each of the four nations.

In recent weeks, Britons holidaying in France, Spain and the Netherlands have been caught out by the removal of exemptions at short notice.

Last week, Scotland and Wales told arrivals from Portugal and parts of Greece to quarantine, while England and Northern Ireland held off.

UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps admitted it had created a “confusing” situation for travellers.

data-ad-format="auto">

Media playback is unsupported on your device

Media captionThe PM says the quarantine system is “an important part of our repertoire”

And in a letter to Home Secretary Priti Patel, Labour argues the arrangements are “losing public confidence and undermining our ability to keep people safe and save jobs”.

Shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds calls for a review to report back within a fortnight.

“It should include outlining options for a robust testing regime in airports, and related follow-up tests, that could help to safely minimise the need for 14-day quarantine,” he writes.


“Given the huge challenges being faced by the travel sector and the scale of job losses, it makes sense to look at this area as part of a wider package of improvements to the testing regime.”

He also said there were “serious concerns” poor monitoring of incoming travellers, claiming “less than a third of passenger-locator forms are checked”.

Airlines have criticised the use of quarantine measures at a time when lockdowns around the world have contributed to a collapse in passenger demand.

On Friday, Virgin Atlantic announced plans to axe another 1,150 jobs after completing a £1.2bn rescue deal, months after making 3,150 redundancies as a result of the collapse in demand caused by the pandemic.

Airport bosses have also criticised ministers.

On-site testing facilities had already been set up at London’s Heathrow Airport, chief executive John Holland-Kaye said last week.

“It is frustrating that the government just has not made a decision to get on with this, when governments in other countries in Europe are getting on and making it happen,” he added.

France and Germany are using testing at airports for passengers arriving from countries with a higher infection rate.

And, on Friday, former Brexit Secretary David Davis said testing at UK airports – with passengers given results within two hours – could cut quarantine to “less than five days”.

“If anybody is positive, they should be quarantined right there,” he said, arguing the government could pay to house them in under-used airport hotels.

However, the prime minister responded by pointing to Public Health England modelling suggesting only 7% of cases would be picked up.

While he understood “the difficulties” the airline industry was facing, Mr Johnson said “93% of the time you could have a real false sense of security, a false sense of confidence when you arrive and take a test”.

“The quarantine system that we have has got to be an important part of our repertoire, of our toolbox, in fighting Covid,” he added.

  • THE NAKED SCIENTISTS: Where did COVID-19 come from?
  • “WE’RE ALL STRONGER THAN WE THINK”: What are the positives of 2020?

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Share on Skype (Opens in new window)

Related

Related Itemsairportcoronavirusdemandslabourquarantinereviewtesting
UK
6th September 2020
Newsexplored @newsexploredweb

Related Itemsairportcoronavirusdemandslabourquarantinereviewtesting

More in UK

  • Read More
    The Papers: Front pages mark UK’s 100,000 Covid deaths

    Views:2 By BBC NewsStaff image captionThe solemn face of Boris Johnson dominates many of the front pages,...

    Newsexplored 6th September 2020
  • Read More
    The Papers: Quarantine hotels plan and holidays ‘under threat’

    Views:2 By BBC NewsStaff image captionSeveral of the front pages look ahead to potential new travel restrictions,...

    Newsexplored 6th September 2020
  • Read More
    Extra £50m pledged for virus-hit grassroots sport

    Views:2 Grassroots clubs have stated that many could go out of business due to the pandemic An...

    Newsexplored 6th September 2020
  • Read More
    Hercule Van Wolfwinkle: Worthing pet artist raises £50k for homeless

    Views:2 image copyrightHERCULE VAN WOLFWINKLE image captionA fake pet profile for this dog says: “Timothy likes skidding...

    Newsexplored 6th September 2020
  • Read More
    Frank Lampard: Chelsea sack manager with Thomas Tuchel expected to replace him

    Views:2 Frank Lampard won 28 of his 57 Premier League games in charge of Chelsea Chelsea have...

    Newsexplored 6th September 2020
  • Read More
    Scotland’s papers: New Covid strain in Scotland and ‘save Union’ plan

    Views:2 image captionThe Herald says Scotland has identified at least three cases of the South African coronavirus...

    Newsexplored 6th September 2020
  • Read More
    The Papers: Schools out ’till Easter’ for ‘lost generation’ kids

    Views:2 By BBC NewsStaff image captionIt’s looking more likely that parents in England “will have many more...

    Newsexplored 6th September 2020
  • Read More
    Snow in the UK: Wintry weather in pictures

    Views:2 image copyrightPA Wire image captionPeople tumbled into action to make the most of the rare snowfall...

    Newsexplored 6th September 2020
  • Read More
    Covid: Four vaccine centres shut amid snow alert for Wales

    Views:2 Published 17 minutes ago Related Topics image copyrightTraffic Wales image captionSnow on the M4 Junction 24...

    Newsexplored 6th September 2020
  • Read More
    The Papers: Vaccinated told to follow rules and PM’s jab ‘gamble’

    Views:2 By BBC NewsStaff image captionThose who have had the Covid-19 vaccine must stick to lockdown rules...

    Newsexplored 6th September 2020
  • Read More
    Cheltenham Town 1-3 Man City: Six-time winners avoid FA Cup shock

    Views:2 Cheltenham Town came within nine minutes of one of the biggest shocks in recent FA Cup...

    Newsexplored 6th September 2020
  • Read More
    Covid vaccine: Can Wales meet its targets?

    Views:2 By Steve Duffy & Gwyndaf HughesBBC news It is hoped 70% of the over-80s in Wales...

    Newsexplored 6th September 2020
Scroll for more
Tap
data-ad-format="auto">
NewsExplored

NewsExplored - Making sure all the latest news is explored?

Contact us for help

  • Popular

  • Latest

  • Comments

  • Australian Open: Heather Watson among 47 players to quarantine in Melbourne after Covid cases on flights
    Sports16th January 2021
  • The Papers: ‘Fortress Britain’ and ‘modern miracle workers’
    UK15th January 2021
  • Fashion lookahead: Eight major 2021 looks from tie-dye to pastels
    Entertainment30th December 2020
  • Fifa 21 and Frozen 2 top digital sales of 2020
    Tech8th January 2021
  • Joe Biden: The team he hopes can fix the US economy
    USA27th January 2021
  • Biden kicks off inclusive LGBT agenda
    USA26th January 2021
  • White House pets: Cats, dogs and raccoons through the years
    USA26th January 2021
  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-26 Green Bay Packers; Buffalo Bills 24-38 Kansas City Chiefs
    USA25th January 2021
  • Les Rehrer says:

    Hello Its me :P and thanks for this post

  • optumrx login says:

    Thank For News.

  • Kent Laatsch says:

    Please let me know if you're looking for a writer…

  • Bob says:

    RT News was where I learned that Erdogan controlled isis.…

Copyright © 2018 Top News Theme. Theme by MVP Themes, powered by Wordpress.

Bexleyheath stabbing: Five injured, five arrested
Brexit: Negotiator David Frost says UK not scared of walking away
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok