Heathrow regime ‘could cut quarantine to five days’

Heathrow Airport has announced the development of a coronavirus testing regime which it hopes will lead to the end of the mandatory 14-day quarantine for those returning from certain countries and “protect the economy”.

Arriving passengers will be able to book swab tests and have results sent to them in seven hours under the proposal, which is used in Germany and Iceland.

Travellers can do a second test at home a few days later and leave quarantine early if they pass both checks, it was reported.

Heathrow bosses hope those testing negative could leave quarantine five to eight days after landing, although the airport’s programme needs Government approval before it can begin.

Cabinet ministers are expected to meet next week to discuss plans to replace blanket quarantines with Covid-19 testing for travellers.

Documents released on Friday from Sage’s 18 June meeting showed the scientific group found “double testing of travellers significantly reduces the risk of false negatives and could enable quarantine duration of less than 14 days”.

Heathrow chief executive John Holland-kaye said: “Heathrow is ready to support this, provided the Government sets clear guidelines for a second test and changes regulations to allow passengers who provide two negative tests to leave quarantine early.

“If the Government is serious about protecting the economy, this is exactly what should be done.”