Discussions about a reduced travel quarantine are well under way, and we are beyond thrilled.
There’s nothing quite like a two-week quarantine to ruin your post-holiday zen, no wander so many Brits are avoiding travel altogether. We’ve been there, we’ve done that, we’ve baked the banana bread and quite frankly, we’re over it. But all hope is not lost. We may see that dreaded travel quarantine reduced to just four days if airport testing comes into play. A number of government officials are eager to begin trials, hoping that the reduced sentence will encourage us to book a holiday (or two), and therefore give the tourism industry the boost that it so desperately needs.
If the plan gets the green light, travellers would have a Covid-19 swab test at the airport before returning home to the UK. Once back in Britain, they would then self-isolate for just four days and take another test on the fifth day. If the result is still negative, they can end their quarantine there and then! I’ll take four days indoors over fourteen any day.
At this week’s Conservative Party conference, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said “We’ve got to be smarter. And the way to do that is to still have a period of quarantine but also test and then be able to release people.” This proposal comes as Italy, Sweden and Greece (three of the six countries Brits can currently visit without restrictions) are all at risk of being added to the UK quarantine list. Coronavirus infection rates are rising in each of these countries and there’s a good chance they will require extra measures to visit.
While many government officials are on board with airport testing, the plan needs to be approved by the Health Secretary and the Chief Medical Officer, who are rumoured to be “holding back” on the plans. Let’s hope that the four-day quarantine is established soon so that we can all go back to our favourite hobby: planning vacations!