UK tightens travel testing rules amid Omicron concerns

Amid rise in Omicron cases, the UK government has  tightened travel restrictions. All travellers arriving in England will need to take a Covid-19 test before they board their flight. Health secretary Sajid Javid said the new rules will apply from 4am London time on Tuesday. “In light of the most recent data, we are taking further action to slow the incursion of the omicron variant,” he said in a tweet. All international arrivals to Britain, including children over the age of 12, will need to take a pre-departure test. Javid also added Nigeria to the UK’s travel “red list”, which means that arrivals from there will be banned except for UK and Irish residents, and those travellers must isolate in designated quarantine facilities.

A further 86 cases of the Omicron Covid variant have been reported in Britain, taking the total to 246, British health authorities confirmed Sunday. An increase of more than 50 per cent, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). Britain registered 43,992 new Covid-19 infections, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 10,464,389, according to official figures released on Sunday. The country also reported a further 54 coronavirus-related deaths. The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain now stands at 145,605. These figures only include the deaths of people who died within 28 days of their first positive test. More than 88 per cent of people aged 12 and over in Britain have had their first dose of vaccine and nearly 81 per cent have received both doses, according to the latest figures. More than 35 per cent have received booster jabs or the third dose of a coronavirus vaccine.