Omicron: UK tightens its travel restrictions; mandates COVID-19 tests for all visitors

Concerns over the spread of the Omicron variant of coronavirus has prompted the British government to tighten travel restrictions on Saturday, requiring all visitors to England to take a COVID-19 test before boarding their flight, as per the reports of AP News.

The new laws will take effect at 4 a.m. on Tuesday, according to Health Secretary Sajid Javid, who stated that they are taking additional efforts to slow the entry of the Omicron variant in light of the most current findings.

Nigeria has also been added to the United Kingdom's "red list," which implies that all arrivals from Nigeria will be prohibited, with the exception of the UK and Irish residents, who will be required to quarantine in authorised facilities, according to AP News. Sajid stated that there had been a substantial number of Omicron cases related to Nigerian travel, with 27 instances reported in the United Kingdom. In a tweet, the Health Secretary announced that only UK and Irish nationals from Nigeria will be allowed to enter and they will be required to isolate in a supervised quarantine facility.

New regulations will be a huge barrier to travel

Karen Dee, who is chief executive of the Airport Operators Association stated that the new regulations will be a huge barrier to travel, just as airports and the tourism industry were hoping for a tiny boost over the holiday season. She also said that this is a major setback for aviation and tourism, according to AP News.

As of Saturday, authorities in the United Kingdom had confirmed 42,848 coronavirus cases, including 127 deaths. Britain had the second-highest COVID-19 death toll in Europe, after Russia, with almost 145,000 deaths during the pandemic. On Saturday, the UK verified 26 Omicron cases, with 25 in England and one in Scotland, which brought England's total to 129 cases, according to BBC. So far, 30 instances have been reported in Scotland, with one in Wales, bringing the total number of cases in the UK to 160.

Pre-departure tests for people arriving in the UK would be beneficial

The reforms have come after the UK government was pressured to tighten its travel rules. According to BBC, the government's scientific advisory group Sage suggested last week that pre-departure tests for people arriving in the UK would be beneficial. On the other hand, PM Boris Johnson has announced that by the end of January, all the adults in England will have their booster shots.

(Inputs from AP News)

Image: AP/ Unsplash