Effective Friday, January 7, pre-departure Covid-19 testing will no longer be mandated for travelers returning to England and arrivals will not have to isolate until they get a negative PCR test.

The changes come after Airlines UK and Manchester Airports Group say current restrictions come at a huge cost to the travel industry and are holding back its recovery.

While appearing in front of the House of Commons yesterday, the UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, announced the development, citing that the removed measures were having 'a limited impact'.

From 4am on Friday, people returning to England will not have to take a pre-departure test, the PM told Members of Parliament.

He added people arriving in England will no longer have to isolate themselves until they get a negative PCR test, but instead take a lateral flow test at the end of day two after arriving.

The government also confirmed that Coronavirus testing rules in England will be eased from January 11, amid intensifying concerns over the country’s testing capacity.

The UK had, in the last month, reduced the self-isolation period in England from 10 to seven days for people who have been jabbed.

Despite this move being welcomed by Airports and airline operators, it came under criticism of the soaring Covid-19 cases, triggered by the highly contagious Omicron variant.

One in 15 people in England had coronavirus in the week to December 31. The equivalent figure was one in 20 people in Wales and Scotland, while in Northern Ireland it was one in 25 people.