Negative COVID-19 Test Required For People Arriving In The UK

All people arriving by car, plane, train, or boat must now produce a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours of arriving in the UK.

When speaking about the new measures, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said travelers “can’t board… without having that negative test.”

This new requirement is on top of the already mandatory ten-day self-isolation period when arriving in the country.

Mr. Shapps said the government was “very keen to do it now” because of the new variant of the virus circulating in South Africa, which he said was “causing great concern with the scientists.”

“They’re not sure whether, for example, the vaccine will be able to deal with it in the first place, and we’re very, very keen to keep it out,” he told BBC Breakfast.

The new measures are expected to come into force from next Monday.