Hopes rise for travel as Shapps says new testing system may cut quarantine to five days

CHRISTMAS could be saved for families who want to see relatives abroad, as Grant Shapps said tests to reduce quarantine would be launched in December.

The Transport Secretary signalled that testing on the fifth day of quarantine would be ready for the Christmas holidays, reducing the time that families have to self-isolate before returning to work or school by up to nine days.

The plans, drawn up by a task force chaired by Mr Shapps and Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, were submitted to Boris Johnson yesterday and are due to be announced next week.

It will mean any passenger returning from a high-risk, red-list country will be able to pay a private medical company between £130 to £180 to be tested for

Covid and, potentially, within 24 hours be cleared for release from quarantine.

Medical companies are already signing up courier firms to deliver the Covid testing kits to quarantining families, which would then be returned to laboratories with results available in between four and 24 hours.

Asked on LBC Radio if the testing regime would be in place for Christmas, Mr Shapps said: “Yes, and of course I do hope that’s the case. What we’re trying to do here is not reduce safety but use science, use testing as a replacement for some of the period of quarantine.”

Whitehall sources suggested it would be launched “shortly” after the anticipated lifting of the current lockdown and travel ban due on December 2.

Ministers are also preparing to reduce self-isolation for those who come into contact with infected people from 14 days to 10 amid evidence that as few as 20 per cent fully comply. An announcement could come this month.

Mr Shapps is understood to be pushing for a minimum five-day quarantine, but some within Downing Street favour release on the seventh day even if people test negative on the fifth day.

The Government’s new rapid tests, providing results within one hour, could reduce quarantine even further,

Mr Shapps suggested. The Government is in talks with the US to trial a predeparture test up to 72 hours before flying and a second test on arrival, allowing quarantine-free travel on routes like New York-london.

Paul Charles, of travel consultancy The PC Agency, said: “Consumers now need the Government to quickly outline a clear timeline so that people can book their Christmas holidays with certainty.”