Travel changes too late to halt potential new wave - scientist

The latest travel rule changes are "a case of shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted," a scientist advising the government has said. Prof Mark Woolhouse said the new rules had come "too late" to make a "material difference" to a potential wave of the Omicron variant in the UK. The changes include pre-departure tests for people arriving in the UK and Nigeria going on the travel red list. No 10 said the changes were due to a rise in travel-linked Omicron cases. From 04:00 GMT on Tuesday travellers aged 12 and over will be required to show proof of a negative PCR or lateral flow test taken no earlier than 48 hours before departure. Health Secretary Sajid Javid said the measures were temporary. Nigeria will also be added to the travel red list of countries from Monday, which means UK or Irish nationals, or UK residents returning from the country must quarantine in a hotel for 10 days. But the latest changes have been described by the travel industry as a "hammer blow", with the Business Travel Association warning livelihoods would be "devastated". Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab accepted the latest measures might "upset or disrupt" some people, but insisted it was right for ministers to take "incremental steps" early to avoid "bigger disruption" to travel and the economy.<br/>