Government needs to do more on testing
Following on from updates to the international travel list, Henry Smith MP Chair of the APPG for the Future of Aviation has called for the Government to reduce the burden and cost of testing.
“There could be a lot more that the government could be doing to ease the burden because a family of four, perhaps separated from relatives for 18 months because of the pandemic, it makes travel prohibitive. It’s £500 for a family to afford tests under the current regime.”
“It’s not my natural instinct to price cap things but given that people don’t have a choice right now there is a strong argument to say there should be a maximum price
“But the key is not having to do PCR tests, only having them as a back-up. Just over one per cent of passengers in the last month from green and amber list countries tested positive for Covid, so for the vast majority of people a lateral flow is fine, and also provides public health protection and is a lot cheaper.”
https://www.channel4.com/news/mp-slams-gold-rush-companies-selling-covid-tests-to-uk-travellers
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/covid-pcr-tests-travel-advice-b1897271.html