Self-isolate before you f ly home from holiday

HOLIDAYMAKERS could be made to self- isolate before they fly home to cut the 14-day quarantine.

In theory, it would allow travellers out of isolation early if they test negative a few days after arriving in the UK.

It is one of many proposals being explored by a taskforce set up by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps yesterday to rescue Britain’s travel industry.

Although welcomed by some industry leaders, there are fears the lack of immediate action will hamper the economy and lead to further job losses.

Mr Shapps has stopped short of making a firm commitment to the idea and said the new body would not report until next month.

Experts will study the idea of a single test after a ‘period of time in self-isolation’, he said. Officials are also looking at plans to use tests on selected routes but have stressed they will have to be sourced privately and paid for by passengers to avoid putting pressure on the NHS.

The announcement is a partial victory for the Mail’s Get Britain Flying Again campaign, which has been calling for air passenger testing to reboot the economy.

Last night the chief executives of Heathrow, Manchester Airports Group, EasyJet and Virgin Atlantic said the announcement was ‘a step in the right direction’ to protect jobs but demanded a firm commitment to introduce testing.

In a statement, they said: ‘ We support the decision to opt for a single test, private sector-led, passenger-funded approach that does not impact on the NHS in any way.

‘But travellers need a firm commitment that a comprehensive testing regime will be implemented in early November. A test on day five, which the Governther ment’s own conservative evidence said would be highly effective, and which they’re already doing in Germany, should be the starting point. Without a rapid move to testing, the UK will fall even fur

behind our competitors and the economic recovery will fail to get off the ground.’

Labour transport spokesman Jim McMahon said: ‘They’ve had months to set up a taskforce, months to look into airport testing and months to sort out the flaws of their quarantine proposals. Tory ministers need to get their act together.’

Karen Dee, chief executive of the Airport Operators’ Association, said: ‘We have been talking about testing since June and many other countries around the world are already successfully using it.’

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham said the Government is leaving regional airports ‘swaying in the wind without any support’.

Manchester Airport Group, which operates Manchester, Stansted and East Midlands airports, announced plans yesterday to lay off almost 900 staff.