England brings in pre-departure testing for travellers from Jan. 15

 

FILE PHOTO: Passengers from international flights arrive at Heathrow Airport, following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), London, Britain, July 29, 2020. REUTERS/Toby Melville

 

LONDON (Reuters) - Travellers to England from abroad will from 0400 GMT on Jan. 15 be required to show proof that they have had a negative COVID-19 test up to three days before their departure, the government said in a statement.

 

The new rule was announced earlier in January as authorities try to ramp up protection against new, more infectious strains of the coronavirus from other countries.

 

Travel into and out of Britain is at very low levels currently due to lockdowns which ban visits abroad for most people.

 

Providing details of its new policy, the government said that transport operators would need to check that passengers had proof of a negative test before they boarded their flight, train or ferry, and there would also be checks on arrival.

 

Fines starting from 500 pounds ($677.40) will be issued to passengers and transport operators who do not comply with the new rules.

 

There will be a very restricted number of exemptions, including hauliers, to allow the free flow of freight, and air, international rail and maritime crew.

 

The test must be of a diagnostic-standard test such as a PCR test, and could in some cases include LAMP and lateral flow tests within set limits, the statement added.

 

The pre-departure test requirement is in addition to quarantine rules which require arrivals from abroad to self-isolate for ten days, unless they opt to have a COVID-19 test after five days and it is negative, releasing them early.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-01-12

 

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2 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Fines starting from 500 pounds ($677.40) will be issued to passengers and transport operators who do not comply with the new rules.

Does this apply to those crossing the Channel in a dinghy?

you might be negative then on the way in,  but probably not so much on the way out..

9 months too late ????

 

uk has high rates of infection,low here,we had hi and low risk countries,does this rule apply to people travelling in from low risk countries in this area such as hk vietnam taiwan thailand cambodia singapore etc .the rates in these places are minute in comparison to uk.it seems absurd that this process has to be adhered to,weve had 12 000 cases approx ssince last nov theyve had 50 000 a day!! nut jobs,surely a test is more than enough?youve more chance of getting it going thru heathrow!!

Almost 1 year after it all started....

I'm glad the UK government reacted so quickly.

 

2 minutes ago, spiekerjozef said:

Almost 1 year after it all started....

I'm glad the UK government reacted so quickly.

 

 

What is worse IMO is that they didn’t stop people traveling out of the UK, similar to what the Chinese did back in February.

 

The new highly contagious UK covid mutant virus is 70% worse than the Wuhan virus. They should have locked down the UK, but they “needed” holidays, ski trips etc and spread it across the globe, to Thailand, and three states in Australia so far. 
 

UK hospitals and morgues are nearly full as a result of the new strain, now hospitals and morgues around the world are also filling up. New lockdowns are being enforced bankrupting businesses that had fought and survived the first wave.

 

The UK is an island. It would have been easy to contain. They have known about it for months. People died yesterday because of that, they will die today, and tomorrow...

 

poor form

 

 

1 hour ago, Natai Beach said:

 

What is worse IMO is that they didn’t stop people traveling out of the UK, similar to what the Chinese did back in February.

 

The new highly contagious UK covid mutant virus is 70% worse than the Wuhan virus. They should have locked down the UK, but they “needed” holidays, ski trips etc and spread it across the globe, to Thailand, and three states in Australia so far. 
 

UK hospitals and morgues are nearly full as a result of the new strain, now hospitals and morgues around the world are also filling up. New lockdowns are being enforced bankrupting businesses that had fought and survived the first wave.

 

The UK is an island. It would have been easy to contain. They have known about it for months. People died yesterday because of that, they will die today, and tomorrow...

 

poor form

 

 

A bit short on facts there. let me help you. Its not "the UK Covid mutant virus" there's no evidence that it originated in the UK. The UK does more in routine identification of viral strains than any other country. Some do none. That's why it was the first to identify the variant and have detected more cases than any other country.

 

Not one Brit has brought Covid in any form into Thailand and infected the general population.

 

As you said, hospitals around the world are filling up with Covid patients but there is no evidence that its due to the new variant.

 

Your attacks on the UK and its people are numerous but, as in this post, have more holes in them than a Swiss cheese.

7 minutes ago, polpott said:

A bit short on facts there. let me help you. Its not "the UK Covid mutant virus" there's no evidence that it originated in the UK. The UK does more in routine identification of viral strains than any other country. Some do none. That's why it was the first to identify the variant and have detected more cases than any other country.

 

Not one Brit has brought Covid in any form into Thailand and infected the general population.

 

As you said, hospitals around the world are filling up with Covid patients but there is no evidence that its due to the new variant.

 

Your attacks on the UK and its people are numerous but, as in this post, have more holes in them than a Swiss cheese.

 

Thats the same as the Spanish flu, which didn’t originate in Spain, it was just first reported on by the Spanish news at the time. 

 

The UK Strain, simply means the strain identified first in the UK - we don’t need to be too sensitive about that, it could well have also mutated in the UK - we cannot be certain it didn’t. Thus, the UK strain is as good as any ‘simple name’ for it. 

 

The reality also exists that the UK could have done better with an earlier and more strict lockdown (each time it has locked down) - instead it has introduced soft measures, almost as if the politicians are fearful of public revolt. 

 

The idea that families couldn’t remain in a ‘bubble’ and visit each others in their homes but could eat in a restaurant alongside others from neighbouring towns etc preposterous. 

 

Those of us from the UK don’t need to be too thin skinned, the criticism levelled at the UK is not unwarranted - us Brits need to put our hands up and accept that. 

 

Yes, our experts have done a lot to advance the fight against covid. Meanwhile our governments indecision has not helped. 

2 hours ago, Natai Beach said:

The new highly contagious UK covid mutant virus is 70% worse than the Wuhan virus.

Whatever variant it is, remains the Wuhan virus.

 

There's zero evidence to suggest it originated in the UK.  There's also zero chance of stopping new mutations from spreading.  Other than locking down all countries.

 

Bizarre post TBH.  Seems like you're more concerned with muck slinging than anything else.

25 minutes ago, polpott said:

A bit short on facts there. let me help you. Its not "the UK Covid mutant virus" there's no evidence that it originated in the UK. The UK does more in routine identification of viral strains than any other country. Some do none. That's why it was the first to identify the variant and have detected more cases than any other country.

 

it is being reported as the UK strain, even on the news in this forum. I think denial is part of the problem in the UK.

The Thais found covid before the Brits. I think you have been listening to a bit too much of Boris.

 

 

Quote

 

Not one Brit has brought Covid in any form into Thailand and infected the general population.
 

Over 30 countries have reported cases of the highly-transmissible UK variant of the novel coronavirus, raising fears of increased global spread of the virus,

 

https://thethaiger.com/news/national/british-arrivals-on-hold-after-family-confirmed-with-b117-covid-strain

 

That is only because the thai quarantine laws stopped it in its tracks. Nothing to do with the UK who let them travel.

 

 

 

Swiss? As in the Swiss ski resort?
Harden up, if it was called the Aussie mutant covid strain I wouldn’t be burying my head in the sand and trying to pretend it wasn’t.

 

Quote

 

As you said, hospitals around the world are filling up with Covid patients but there is no evidence that its due to the new variant.

 

Your attacks on the UK and its people are numerous but, as in this post, have more holes in them than a Swiss cheese. 

 

21 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

The UK Strain, simply means the strain identified first in the UK - we don’t need to be too sensitive about that, it could well have also mutated in the UK - we cannot be certain it didn’t. Thus, the UK strain is as good as any ‘simple name’ for it.

 

Sure.  But there seems to be some bitterness that is not present in the reporting of other mutations.   It also feels like there has been a lot more effort to name it "the UK variant" than with other variants.  I think some sort of animosity towards the UK has caused this.

 

21 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

The reality also exists that the UK could have done better with an earlier and more strict lockdown (each time it has locked down) - instead it has introduced soft measures, almost as if the politicians are fearful of public revolt.

 

This seems to be exactly what has happened.  The UK has a government that is very focused on populist policy and they were clearly too frightened to do anything that might annoy people.  They have been weak and ineffective in a time when this is a death sentence.

 

21 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Those of us from the UK don’t need to be too thin skinned, the criticism levelled at the UK is not unwarranted - us Brits need to put our hands up and accept that. 

 

I think we need to accept that the UK has acted extremely poorly, both at the government level and, in many cases, at the individual level, but I don't think that means that we should allow people to attempt to create a narrative whereby the virus is no longer from China but has been replaced by "the UK variant" as though it is a new virus that has originated from the UK.  That is unreasonable.

2 hours ago, rupert the bear said:

uk has high rates of infection,low here,we had hi and low risk countries,does this rule apply to people travelling in from low risk countries in this area such as hk vietnam taiwan thailand cambodia singapore etc .the rates in these places are minute in comparison to uk.it seems absurd that this process has to be adhered to,weve had 12 000 cases approx ssince last nov theyve had 50 000 a day!! nut jobs,surely a test is more than enough?youve more chance of getting it going thru heathrow!!

 

The imposition of these measures by the UK comes late in the day but makes sense.

 

Presumably the UK's rationale for enforcing quarantine after testing negative is the same as Thailand's? I assume that they are worried that 1) an individual might have come into contact with an infected person in the period between taking the test and departure and/or 2) the test returned a false negative.

 

As far as levels of infection go. No doubt there is a higher incidence in the UK compared with Thailand, but part of the difference is explained by the number of tests made. The UK has conducted 56 million tests; Thailand 1.63.

20 minutes ago, BangkokReady said:

Whatever variant it is, remains the Wuhan virus.

 

There's zero evidence to suggest it originated in the UK.  

Well there is also zero evidence that it came from Wuhan. You seem to want it both ways. 

I, like the rest of the world will call it what it is. The Wuhan virus, the South African strain, the UK strain etc etc. 
 

 

Please inform yourself. 
The Wuhan strain and the UK strain are similar, but not the same. It is 70% worse. It is a bigger problem.
The same as skin cancer and lung cancer are similar, but not the same. Both are cancer, but one is worse than the other. 
 

Which is a real problem. 
Denial won’t help, it will just make it worse. Time for action.
 

This new variant in the U.K., called B.1.1.7, has acquired mutations much quicker than scientists expect. The variant has 17 different mutations in its genetic code. And eight of those mutations occur in a critical part of the virus, called the spike protein, which reaches out and binds to human cells during the initial stages of infection.

 

https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/12/22/948961575/what-we-know-about-the-new-u-k-variant-of-coronavirus-and-what-we-need-to-find-o

 

 

 

27 minutes ago, Natai Beach said:

Well there is also zero evidence that it came from Wuhan. You seem to want it both ways. 

I, like the rest of the world will call it what it is. The Wuhan virus, the South African strain, the UK strain etc etc. 
 

 

Please inform yourself. 
The Wuhan strain and the UK strain are similar, but not the same. It is 70% worse. It is a bigger problem.
The same as skin cancer and lung cancer are similar, but not the same. Both are cancer, but one is worse than the other. 
 

Which is a real problem. 
Denial won’t help, it will just make it worse. Time for action.
 

This new variant in the U.K., called B.1.1.7, has acquired mutations much quicker than scientists expect. The variant has 17 different mutations in its genetic code. And eight of those mutations occur in a critical part of the virus, called the spike protein, which reaches out and binds to human cells during the initial stages of infection.

 

https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/12/22/948961575/what-we-know-about-the-new-u-k-variant-of-coronavirus-and-what-we-need-to-find-o

 

 

 

There is also zero medical evidence that the "UK strain" as you call it is 70% worse. There is some some modelling by the discredited scaremonger Neil Fergsuon which suggests it may spread more quickly than other variants.

Just now, roquefort said:

There is also zero medical evidence that the "UK strain" as you call it is 70% worse. There is some some modelling by the discredited scaremonger Neil Fergsuon which suggests it may spread more quickly than other variants.

So it is just a coincidence that UK infections have exploded and that 60% of all cases in England and 80% in London are now the UK strain?

 

i didn’t make up the term UK strain. The only people denying it appear to be some Brits. It is being reported world wide as such. 
 

And the scientists who are reporting it as more contagious? Are they making it up, or just reporting their findings? 
 

https://www.9news.com.au/national/queensland-coronavirus-update-hotel-guests-moved-uk-strain-infection-numbers-annastacia-palaszczuk-press-conference/ce295b01-a1de-4e4a-8bd3-368894372df5

 

https://www.thaipbsworld.com/first-four-cases-of-uk-variant-strain-of-coronavirus-found-in-thailand/

 

https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/12/30/coronavirus-highly-contagious-uk-strain-discovered-in-southern-california/

 

https://www.livemint.com/news/india/new-covid-strain-in-india-96-people-infected-with-uk-variant-of-virus-11610353950713.html

 

 

 

 

1 hour ago, Natai Beach said:

The Wuhan strain and the UK strain are similar, but not the same. It is 70% worse. It is a bigger problem.

It is not "70% worse" - at least not in the sense that most people would use for the word "worse."

 

It is believed to be somewhat more transmissible (possibly up to 70%) though even this is not certain. As mentioned in the article below:

 

Quote

"The amount of evidence in the public domain is woefully inadequate to draw strong or firm opinions on whether the virus has truly increased transmission ..."

 

The UK variant - what do we know?

 

Some estimates put that additional transmissibility at as high as 70%, some put it lower.

 

As also stated in that piece, there is no evidence to suggest that it has a higher mortality rate. There is no evidence that it causes more serious symptoms either.

 

So overall, I think it gives a highly misleading impression to simply say that it's "70% worse." The facts do not support that characterization.

3 minutes ago, GroveHillWanderer said:

It is not "70% worse" - at least not in the sense that most people would use for the word "worse."

 

It is believed to be somewhat more transmissible (possibly up to 70%) though even this is not certain. As mentioned in the article below:

 

 

The UK variant - what do we know?

 

Some estimates put that additional transmissibility at as high as 70%, some put it lower.

 

As also stated in that piece, there is no evidence to suggest that it has a higher mortality rate. There is no evidence that it causes more serious symptoms either.

 

So overall, I think it gives a highly misleading impression to simply say that it's "70% worse." The facts do not support that characterization.

Grasping at straws.

 

70%  leads to more infections= more deaths= more strain on stretched medical supplies and oxygen. 
which is exactly what is already happening in the UK. Deaths are up more than 70% per week since this mutant variant was first discovered and morgues are overflowing with bodies now being stored in tents. 
 

How much evidence do you need.

seems the US is doing the same.

 

https://www.axios.com/visitors-us-negative-covid-test-fly-cdc-76312541-8627-48df-ab84-0a7d113a3487.html

44 minutes ago, Natai Beach said:

Grasping at straws.

 

70%  leads to more infections= more deaths= more strain on stretched medical supplies and oxygen. 
which is exactly what is already happening in the UK. Deaths are up more than 70% per week since this mutant variant was first discovered and morgues are overflowing with bodies now being stored in tents. 
 

How much evidence do you need.

It's not a question of how much evidence, it's a question of whether there is any evidence at all for increased mortality from this new variant - which there isn't.

 

Yes there are more deaths, but that is because of the increased number of cases. Even with an unchanged Infection Fatality Rate (IFR), an increase in cases will inevitably lead to an increase in deaths. However if the IFR hasn't gone up by 70% - and it hasn't, then you can't logically say that it's "70% worse." 

2 hours ago, Natai Beach said:

Well there is also zero evidence that it came from Wuhan. You seem to want it both ways. 

I, like the rest of the world will call it what it is. The Wuhan virus, the South African strain, the UK strain etc etc. 
 

 

Please inform yourself. 
The Wuhan strain and the UK strain are similar, but not the same. It is 70% worse. It is a bigger problem.
The same as skin cancer and lung cancer are similar, but not the same. Both are cancer, but one is worse than the other. 
 

Which is a real problem. 
Denial won’t help, it will just make it worse. Time for action.
 

This new variant in the U.K., called B.1.1.7, has acquired mutations much quicker than scientists expect. The variant has 17 different mutations in its genetic code. And eight of those mutations occur in a critical part of the virus, called the spike protein, which reaches out and binds to human cells during the initial stages of infection.

 

https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/12/22/948961575/what-we-know-about-the-new-u-k-variant-of-coronavirus-and-what-we-need-to-find-o

 

 

 

 

Denial won’t help? This variant is just that, a variant of Covid19, which has been widely accepted as originating in, then carried out of, China. Without the Wuhan "strain" there would not have been any subsequent mutations. 

18 hours ago, Yorkshire Tea said:

9 months too late ????

 

 

Yes, you are absolutely right,

 

Along with the self isolation tests, the rules are never followed.

 

UK people, along with those from the USA and others, are not fond of following rules from government that protects their health and those nearby. They prefer to listen to conspiracy theories and spout civil rights and liberties.

 

I don't know why the UK doesn't adopt something akin to the Asian module of ASQ hotels booked before entry.

 

This would be far more efficient than trusting people to self isolate.

2 hours ago, Natai Beach said:

Grasping at straws.

 

70%  leads to more infections= more deaths= more strain on stretched medical supplies and oxygen. 
which is exactly what is already happening in the UK. Deaths are up more than 70% per week since this mutant variant was first discovered and morgues are overflowing with bodies now being stored in tents. 
 

How much evidence do you need.

It's winter. Maybe this has something to do with it.