‘Test to Release’ for students arriving in England from 15 December 2020
Passengers arriving into England who are traveling from countries not featured on the government’s travel corridor list. will have the option to take a test after five days of self-isolation. A negative result will release them from the need to isolate for a full 14 days.
- Arrivals must self-isolate for five days post-arrival before taking the test rather than taking it at their port of arrival
- Arrivals can take the test on or after day five of their isolation period
- The test can be taken at home or at a private provider’s testing site (the government will provide a list of approved providers)
- If they test negative, they will then be able to stop self-isolating immediately
- Passengers are advised to book the test before arrival and provide details of their test date on their passenger locator form
- Arrivals who book their test after arrival will need to resubmit their passenger locator form.
More on England’s Test to Release strategy for international arrivals
All arrivals will need to provide details of where they are staying for the first 14 days by completing the Public Health Passenger Locator Form before they travel, and showing their completed form at the UK border, either printed or on their phone. Information can be submitted up to 48 hours before arrival.
Those choosing not to take a test when arriving from a non-exempt country must continue to follow the current self-isolation requirements (2 weeks).
UPDATE : COVID-19: UK isolation period shortened to 10 days
Self-isolation for contacts of people with confirmed coronavirus will be shortened from 14 to 10 days across the UK from Monday.
The change will also apply to people instructed to quarantine after returning from high-risk countries.
And it means anyone who has been self-isolating for 10 days or more will be able to end their quarantine on Monday.
The 10-day period is counted from the day after you leave a non-exempt country, or territory or island. A non-exempt country, or territory or island is any country, or territory or island that is not on the travel corridors list.