Rapid Covid Tests and Traffic Light System

Covid-19 testing will “allow a secure restart of international travel this summer while limiting the risks posed by variants,” according to a study commissioned by a group of aviation industry organisations.

According Oxera and Edge Health, a single antigen test performed upon arrival is “as effective as a 10-day self-isolation period in reducing imported cases of Covid-19.”

It concludes that concludes a single test “could be appropriate for countries categorised as medium-risk, accounting for quarantine compliance”.

The new research could help guide the government’s decision making process as it plans to develop a traffic light system for the resumption of international leisure travel. The report suggest that the combination of antigen and PCR checks, as well as a three-day quarantine duration, could be effective for screening arrivals from countries with higher Covid-19 prevalence rates.