‘Red List’ scrapped – but pre- and post-travel testing to remain

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• Dominic says:

  14 Dec14 December 14:57

  Javid highlights that the red list is not very effective now that Omicron is widespread in the UK…

  … yet a pre-flight test and day 2 PCR are still required. Probably makes more sense to make pre-flight tests mandatory and not the day 2 PCR if you really want to stop imports.

  • Track says:

    15 Dec15 December 00:45

    Pre-flight testing is approximate, relies on local providers, only to stop most raving cases to board.

    Day 2 PCR testing introduced “for sequencing” and does confirm the public health officials fully expect the virus to be imported.

• JerrySignfield says:

  14 Dec14 December 15:02

  Doesn’t make much sense

• S says:

  14 Dec14 December 15:12

  Any idea how quickly BA will reinstate the canceled JNB flights (if at all)?

• Joe says:

  14 Dec14 December 15:15

  What is the point of even having the facility to ‘Red List’ any country? It has been proven time and time again that not even the strictest border controls will keep out any of these variants. Time to roll back all the completely pointless testing requirements.

  • John says:

    14 Dec14 December 16:02

    The point was to delay it or reduce the number of people bringing it in. But I agree the way the UK implemented hotel quarantines was ineffective

• Richie says:

  14 Dec14 December 15:17

  Is the ‘red-list’ gone for good?

  • John says:

    14 Dec14 December 15:55

    No

• James Harper says:

  14 Dec14 December 15:27

  The testing needs to go and quickly, that is a world wide deterrant whereas red listing only applied to a small number of countries however I’ve given up expecting the UK government to do anything remotely sensible and after all, bunter did say, ‘f*ck business’.

• Aston100 says:

  14 Dec14 December 15:28

  When returning home, why do we need both a pre-departure test and a day 2 test?

  • Sam says:

    14 Dec14 December 15:43

    So, if someone was tested positive pre-departure does that mean he or she will be denied boarding, despite he or she is a UK citizen?

    If yes, okay fair enough but when will they be accepted for boarding? You can’t keep them away forever (like what most East Asian countries do).

    If not, like you’ve said where’s the point of having pre departure test if the person is admitted to the plane anyway?

    • NorthernLass says:

      14 Dec14 December 16:07

      Obviously you would be subject to the rules of the country you tested positive in, so most likely some form of isolation would be required (depending on how draconian the regime is at your location). But you wouldn’t be allowed to board a flight home until you had a negative test, and quite rightly so – would you want to share a plane with someone you knew had tested positive?!

      • Sam says:

        14 Dec14 December 17:17

        @NorthernLess thank you, this answers @Aston100’s question on why we need a pre departure test.

      • QFFlyer says:

        17 Dec17 December 00:06

        Completely agree, and it impinges on nothing, you’re not being denied entry to anywhere, you’re being refused carriage, which is perfectly fine under those circumstances.

  • John says:

    14 Dec14 December 16:05

    Because people returning home and people just starting their trip mingle throughout the travel process

• Sam says:

  14 Dec14 December 15:39

  Why people always like to complain?? I am waiting for someone to celebrate they don’t need hotel quarantine travelling from South Africa from now on. Where are those people, they have been the loudest since Red List was reintroduced but now don’t have the audacity to say anything when the government is now doing them favour?

  • John says:

    14 Dec14 December 16:09

    I don’t think it’s a favour to free someone who is wrongfully imprisoned

  • mr_jetlag says:

    14 Dec14 December 16:10

    The government isn’t doing anyone any favours. It’s all arbitrary – that’s what annoys people the most. It precludes making sensible plans when things change on a whim. It removes the predictability of travel – for example, who’s to say that they won’t reinstate it just as easily next time for the sake of a few rebel votes?

  • Tracey says:

    14 Dec14 December 20:03

    They cancelled their trips to avoid hotel quarantine! Or they are sunning it in Mexico/ Turkey/ wherever to avoid the quarantine which now won’t exist!

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