Good news for those who have trips planned over the coming months: all testing requirements could soon be dropped for fully-vaccinated travellers entering the UK.
Transport secretary Grant Shapps is considering changing the rules so that double-jabbed travellers can go abroad during the February half term without any restrictions (and without having to fork out for expensive tests). The rule change may come at the same time as the ‘Plan B’ update on January 26, a government source told The Times.
The rules for those entering the UK had already loosened earlier this month. Travellers no longer have to come back negative on a PCR test after they arrive – a lateral flow taken within 48 hours is enough. And there’s no requirement to self-isolate until you receive that result, either.
If, however, your LFT comes back positive, you will of course have to self-quarantine and a further PCR test will be required to identify the variant.
The move is part of wider UK plans to ration PCRs for those who need them the most. At the moment, they aren’t needed to confirm a positive lateral flow for those without symptoms. Instead, anyone who receives a positive LFT will have to report their test result and isolate immediately.
You may, of course, still need to take a test – PCR or otherwise – to get out of the UK. Those rules vary depending on your destination country, though, so check before you travel.