Pre-departure testing 'must be short-term emergency measure only'

Transport secretary Grant Shapps outlined the new measures on Friday (8 January), which will come into force next week.

It will require those travelling to the UK from any destination to provide evidence of a pre-travel negative Covid test taken up to 72 hours prior to departure.

The new rules will apply to those arriving from travel corridor destinations; those arriving from non-travel corridor destinations will still have to self-isolate for 10 days upon their arrival, even if their Covid test status is negative.

Shapps said the new rules would guard against the import of new strains of Covid-19, such as those detected in Denmark and more recently in South Africa.