Voice of London

London’s Heathrow airport, among the biggest in Europe, commenced its rapid COVID-19 testing scheme for passengers on outbound flights.

Known as the LAMP saliva test, it is not required to be processed in a laboratory and is available for a total of £80 per passenger. Before arriving at Heathrow, passengers have been asked to register online in order to receive this test.

Last week, the British government removed Italy from its travel corridor list. This means that passengers arriving from Italy must self-isolate for up to 14 days upon entering the UK.

In efforts to re-open restricted routes and provide feasible traffic for airlines, the tests ensure results within an hour.

Aviation services company Collinson observed the tests as a critical step in repairing the aviation sector, with the rapid tests ensuring ‘traveller confidence’ and reopening of routes from the UK to the rest of the world.

Last week, the British government removed Italy from its travel corridor list. This means that passengers arriving from Italy must self-isolate for up to 14 days upon entering the UK.

 

Video credit: Yuan Luo & Keyuan Zheng 

How timely and efficient are these measures? Travellers from Spain, Pakistan and within the UK share their stories.

I do feel the restrictions are needed. It’s a world pandemic that’s affecting so many people but I do think that they (the government) need to re-evaluate the way they have gone about it and whether it’s actually working – Hannah, student in London

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Read more from Voice of London:

• Covid-19: Travel & Quarantine in the time of Corona. All you need to know
• Rapid testing launched for students travelling home this Christmas