COVID-19 testing for people arriving from China

A sample of travellers travelling from China into London’s Heathrow Airport will be invited to get a PCR take a look at for COVID-19 on arrival. These tests will support us to much better have an understanding of any variants that might be current in any constructive cases.

Why are we only tests arrivals from China?

China is now experiencing its biggest and most significant COVID-19 wave because the start of the pandemic. This coincides with China easing some of the border actions it had put in position for the duration of the pandemic, which had involved limits on the figures of passengers permitted on intercontinental flights.

There are considerably fewer publicly obtainable COVID-19 genomes shared from China in comparison to the Uk. The option to carry out genomic tests on samples provided by some of the incoming travellers is consequently significant, as it will assistance us to improved understand what COVID-19 variants are circulating in folks arriving to the British isles from China.

Why are we screening a sample of men and women?

The tests staying available on arrival are for surveillance purposes only and are supposed to assistance us construct a more full photo of the COVID-19 problem around the globe. We only require to examination a sample of travellers (we are inviting 20% of arrivals to choose section) to get a representative image that is handy for this reason.

While the arrival assessments will not have an effect on specific passengers’ onward journeys, everyone travelling to England from mainland China from 5^th January 2023 will also be expected to get a COVID-19 take a look at ahead of they depart and ought to show proof of a negative consequence in advance of staying permitted to board a flight.

Really should we be fearful about new variants?

UKHSA presently has numerous methods in place to detect and keep an eye on the distribute and prevalence of COVID-19 variants at home, and our data is shared swiftly to help guidance health and fitness protection initiatives globally.

There is nothing at all in the publicly readily available data to propose that there are any new variants at present circulating in China, but the steps we are placing in spot at Heathrow will even more boost our surveillance capabilities and help us to place variants of issue speedily if any do arise.

How to defend oneself and other individuals

Vaccination is continue to the very best way to secure on your own from turning out to be seriously unwell with COVID-19, so it is as significant as at any time to get up any doses when you’re qualified. If you’ve been offered a booster this winter and have not nonetheless occur ahead, there is still time to reserve an appointment.

As we encouraged very last April as portion of Living with COVID, you ought to test to stay residence when you have symptoms of respiratory infections which include flu and COVID-19 and if you do have to go out, don a experience covering. There has been no change in this advice which remains in put as a practical precautionary evaluate when you are unwell.

You can also help to guard on your own and other people by covering your nose and mouth when you cough and sneeze, washing your arms frequently and cleaning surfaces this kind of as door handles and mild switches.

You really should particularly steer clear of meeting folks at greater risk of getting to be critically unwell from COVID-19, in particular those people with a weakened immune technique. Total steerage on dwelling safely with respiratory bacterial infections can be located below.