UK transport secretary Grant Shapps told LBC Radio on Friday that he will shortly be making an announcement about reducing the 14-day quarantine period for travellers arriving in the UK.
Shapps co-chairs the UK government's global travel taskforce with health secretary Matt Hancock. Speaking also to Sky News on Friday, Shapps reiterated that "we're actively working" on reducing quarantine and self-isolation periods. It is understood that the taskforce is recommending a five-day period of quarantine following return from virus risk countries. Travellers would then be tested. If the test is negative, the quarantine would be lifted two days later.
Travellers would have to pay for these tests, with the anticipation of tests with rapid results soon being available for little more than five pounds.
It is believed that this new testing regime may be introduced at the start of December and coincide with what Boris Johnson has said will be the end of the lockdown in England. If so, it raises the possibility - as Shapps has suggested - of more Britons being able to go on foreign holiday at Christmas, and this could of course be good news for those who wish to come to Mallorca over the festive period.
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Confusion, confusion, confusion. Gives a break will you
I have been travelling to Majorca for 40 years. Majorca is no longer a cheap destination and the British tourist is just looked upon as a cash cow. Last year protests were held in Majorca about the over saturation of tourists to the island. Now we are expected to pay for covid tests ,tourist tax and probably a sharp increase in prices when we get there. Sorry but time to look elsewhere.
If Grant Shapps can offer PCR tests for little more than a fiver for travellers returning to the Uk to cut the quarantine period why can’t he do the same for those travelling to Mallorca at the same cost??
Sorry but until the government say it’s safe to travel our insurance Re covid is invalid. No one will risk having huge medical bills to pay.
I own 2 rental properties on Mallorca and already my bookings are being cancelled as people are saying that they are not paying another 4 to 5 hundred pounds on top of what they have already paid for their holiday if it goes ahead there will be no recovery in tourists if this goes ahead ,
I have flights booked for a visit in December they cost me 50 euros return for me and my wife no way on this planet will I be paying £200 plus for tests you either want tourists or you don’t it’s your loss
It's crazy. Has to be a better way. A Family of 4 would have to pay £600 on top of there holiday accommodation flights and spending money for PCR tests. Also the chance that someone in the family might test positive showing know symptoms like 72% of people. 48 hours before your due to fly ruining all your holiday plans and wasting alot of money. I think I'll stay at home.
Very Simply all this talk about restrictions etc is sorry but basically hot air people need to have clear guidelines and these guidelines cannot change on the Wim of any politician who is having a bad day and needs to show what he is made of , until this happens people will continue to avoid travelling to places like Mallorca or Spain as no one likes to have surprises which cost quite a lot of extra cost as well as spending time in Quarantine or worse .
Travelers from UK will not spend £150 to get a negative test before arrival in Spain.So don't get your tourisms Hope's up yet Spain.
This will mean nothing if the Balearics does not agree/organise a policy of reciprocal airport testing and control the Covid rate here, by testing those coming from the mainland.