Testing arrivals from China: government 'unhelpful' as LBC reveals 'no' specific review
29 December 2022, 19:58 | Updated: 29 December 2022, 22:18
The government has been accused of being 'unhelpful and confusing' with their advice around mandatory testing for UK arrivals from China.
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During a visit to Manchester Airport on Thursday, defence secretary Ben Wallace said the Department for Transport was reviewing 'whether different countries with Covid outbreaks should face different restrictions'.
The defence secretary went on to say that testing UK arrivals from China 'is being reviewed' and that he expected 'clarification from Department for Transport today or tomorrow'.
But LBC has learnt that a review is not taking place.
A senior official from the Department for Transport has told LBC that the only current review is the ongoing monitoring from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
Read more: China will end quarantine for travellers from January 8, as it ends strict 'zero-Covid' policy
The source also added that Wallace was wrong to state that there would be an announcement or statement on this from the Department for Transport.
They added that currently there is not significant 'cause for concern', despite Italy and the US requiring mandatory testing.
The government’s position is supported by some health experts, Professor Calum Semple sat as a member of SAGE [The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies] during the pandemic – and said that testing UK arrivals from China was ‘unhelpful’ and a ‘distraction’ – adding that keeping open borders to China ‘didn’t worry him’.
Covid cases in China are officially reported at around 5,000 per day, but there are suggestions that this figure is far higher - with some analysts claiming the number could be as high as one million per day.
The Liberal Democrats have said that compulsory testing of all UK arrivals from or via China was a ‘sensible first step’.
The Party’s Health Spokesperson Daisy Cooper told LBC “China’s rapid shift out of lockdown and the lack of transparency of its health data is raising international concerns about possible new variants.
"Testing all travellers from and via China is a sensible first step”.
She added: “Having ministers make announcements that are retracted just hours later is unhelpful and confusing.”
A government spokesperson said the “UK Health Security Agency is monitoring the data" with "no plans to introduce any new Covid testing for arrivals.”
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