Travel bosses demand date for PCR test switch - BBC News

Tour operators and airlines have called on the government to publish the date when Covid tests will change for fully vaccinated travellers.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said last month that "day two" PCR tests would be replaced with cheaper lateral flow tests from "the end of October".

Last week, Mr Shapps told the Today programme that he hoped the change would happen "in time for people returning from half-term holidays potentially, and certainly by the end of October".

The travel business added: "Thanks to the demand, half-term is incredibly busy and we'll be operating up to 2,500 weekly flights.".

When travellers return to the UK, they need to do a Covid test on day two after arrival at the latest, if they are fully vaccinated.

If they are not fully vaccinated, they must quarantine on arrival in the UK for 10 days and do a test on day two and day eight.

Under the new rules, the PCR test will be replaced with a cheaper lateral flow test if you are fully vaccinated, but the date of the change remains unknown.

There are no changes if you are not fully vaccinated.

Rory Boland, travel editor at consumer magazine Which?, said: "Travellers were encouraged to hold off booking tests for half-term holidays by government until it released more details of which tests were needed.

The government said: "From late October, eligible fully vaccinated passengers including under-18s returning from a rest of world country will have the option to replace their day two test with a cheaper lateral flow test, followed by a free PCR test if positive, reducing the cost of tests on arrival into England.".

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