Javid hints at ditching travellers’ PCR tests

SAJID Javid signalled yesterday that costly PCR tests will finally be scrapped for double-jabbed travellers as part of an overhaul of the traffic light system.

The Health Secretary told MPs who want to see testing measures relaxed they ‘will be pleased’ when imminent changes are revealed.

And Boris Johnson gave wouldbe travellers concerned about crippling testing bills a further boost by confirming ‘less onerous’ rules were on the way. An announcement by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps could come as early as tomorrow, but the changes may not kick in until next month.

In the Commons, Tory MP Huw Merriman, the chairman of the transport select committee, asked the Health Secretary if ministers will allow travellers to take cheaper, rapid lateral flow tests instead. Mr Javid replied: ‘I don’t want to pre-empt the statement by the Transport Secretary but I believe that when he makes that statement, he will be pleased.’

Mr Johnson said: ‘We’ll be saying a lot more shortly about the traffic light system, about simplifying it and about what we can do to make the burdens of testing less onerous for those that are coming back into the country.’

The scrapping of PCR tests is expected to be part of an overhaul which effectively ditches the traffic light system, by getting rid of the green and amber categories and creating a new twotier regime. Only the red list category is likely to remain for destinations with high prevalence of variants of concern.