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The Telegraph
US to require Covid testing for returning citizens amid spread of new variant from UK
British passengers traveling to the US must provide a negative coronavirus test, it was announced when Japan confirmed its first cases of the variant that originated in Kent. The virus has now been detected in Denmark, Australia, Italy, the Netherlands, and Iceland. Travelers from the UK to the US were already banned by plans to keep the new variant in check, and the new restrictions hamper US citizens and green card holders seeking to return to the country. The rules for travel to the United States, which take effect on Monday, require a negative test within 72 hours of travel, according to a statement from the country’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “This additional testing requirement will strengthen our protection of the American public to improve their health and safety and ensure responsible international travel,” he added. Some airlines had already agreed to require passengers to test negative before departure to New York, including British Airways and Delta. Meanwhile, yesterday Russian authorities ordered those arriving from the UK to quarantine for two weeks. It came as Japan confirmed its first five cases of the newer variant of the virus that spreads faster in passengers arriving from the UK, Health Minister Norihisa Tamura said today. He said there should be strong quarantine measures at airports and those returning to the UK. The country has banned entry into the country from Great Britain, with the exception of returning Japanese citizens or those with residence permits. Despite avoiding the high infection rates seen in much of Europe, Japan’s daily cases topped 3,000 for the first time this month. Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said: “Infections are not decreasing and if we continue like this, we will not be able to prevent further spread of the virus.” Meanwhile, Ireland reported that a new case had been found in the country through surveillance of the virus. Ireland’s Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan confirmed that the new UK variant has been identified in the county, using genome sequencing at the National Virus Reference Laboratory (NVRL). Dr. Cillian de Gascun, Director of NVRL, said the samples tested were from last weekend. “More tests in the coming days and weeks will establish to what extent it is present here. In the meantime, it is vitally important that we all stay home, avoid social contact, and avoid all kinds of non-essential travel, ”he said. The new variant that has spread across London and southern England and is believed to be 70 percent more transmissible may still be treatable with upcoming vaccines. The co-founder of BioNTech, one of the firms behind the vaccine to be launched worldwide this week, said that it is “very likely” that his drug will work against the mutated strain and that it can be adapted in six weeks.
