Laurence Dollimore
THE UK will scrap its so-called ‘travel corridor’ scheme from Monday, it has been announced.
It means that anyone entering the country from abroad from next week will have to self-isolate for 10 days.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the measure was temporary and designed to prevent newer strains of the coronavirus from being imported into the country.
“To protect us against the risk of as yet unidentified new strains we will also close all travel corridors from 4am on Monday,” he said.
All arrivals must also present a negative coronavirus test taken up to 72 hours before departure.
Airlines will check for the test and will refuse boarding to those not carrying one.
Fines of more than €500 face anyone caught breaking the rules.
Johnson added: “If you come to this country you must have proof of a negative COVID tests that you have taken within 72hrs before leaving and you must have filled in a passenger locator form and an airline will ask for proof of both.
“Upon arrival you must quarantine for 10 days.”
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps tweeted: “Travel corridors assess public health risk from the original Sars-Cov-2, but it’s impossible for the Joint Biosecurity Centre to provide live scientific updates to predict which countries or regions will now originate new variants.
“Travel corridors are therefore suspended for now.”
It comes after severe flight restrictions were imposed by the UK on the whole of South America and Portugal from 4am today following the discovery of a super contagious ‘Brazilian strain.’
