COVID-19 Updates – week commencing 04/01/22

More updates of developments from the government and various links to interpretation and guidance.

Go to date:

6 Jan 2022

 

6 January 2022 …

Tourism Alliance update:

  • Removal of Pre-Departure Testing

The Prime Minister has announced that from 4am on Friday the requirement for pre-departure testing for people travelling overseas from England will be scrapped in order to help facilitate overseas travel. He also announced that the requirement to self-isolate on arrival until receipt of a negative PCR will also be removed for those arriving into England and will be replaced with the need to undertake a lateral flow test no later than the end of Day 2. If this test is positive, the person will then need to have a PCR test in order to identify any new variants entering the country.

https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/pm-statement-to-the-house-of-commons-on-covid-19-5-january-2022

  • Confirmatory PCR Tests To Be Temporarily Suspended

The UK Health Security Agency has announced that, from 11 January, it is suspending the requirement for people who test positive using a lateral flow test to then take a confirmatory PCR test. Anyone who receives a positive lateral flow test result should still report their result on GOV.UK and must self-isolate immediately. After reporting a positive LFD test result, they will be contacted by NHS Test and Trace so that their contacts can be traced.

There is, however, an exception to this revised approach that employers should be aware of when communicating this change to staff. That is:

    • people who are eligible for the £500 Test and Trace Support Payment (TTSP) will still be asked to take a confirmatory PCR if they receive a positive LFD result, to enable them to access financial support.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/confirmatory-pcr-tests-to-be-temporarily-suspended-for-positive-lateral-flow-test-results

  • City Of Culture Application Guidance

For those interested, DCMS has published the application guidance for the 2025 City of Culture competition.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-city-of-culture-2025-full-guidance-for-long-listed-bidders/uk-city-of-culture-2025-full-application-guidance

  • Guidance On Testing Before Travel

The guidance on testing prior to travel to the England came out after I’d sent out yesterday’s update so here it is in more detail. The key points are:

    • From 04:00 on Friday 7 January, eligible passengers and under 18s will no longer be required to take a pre-departure test before entering the UK or to self-isolate on arrival.
    • From 0400 on Sunday 9 January, we will revert to post-arrival lateral flow tests instead of PCRs. Those who test positive will still have to take a further free confirmatory PCR test to help monitor variants. These measures will apply across the UK.
    • From 4am on Monday 10th January, proof of vaccination from the following additional countries and territories will be accepted for entry into England: Bhutan, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Fiji, Iraq, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, north of Cyprus, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Solomon Islands, The Gambia and Uzbekistan.
    • From 4am on Monday 10 January, eligible travellers who have received either version  the ‘Novavax’ vaccine named Covovax and Nuvaxovid will be recognised for international travel into England.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/how-to-quarantine-when-you-arrive-in-england

  • Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant and ARG Top-up Payment

The latest iteration of the ARG allocations to councils and payments to businesses has been published which includes the allocation of the Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant and the third tranche of the ARG funding to councils. Of note is that on 28th November 2021, council still had £250m of the second tranche of ARG funding.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-grant-funding-local-authority-payments-to-small-and-medium-businesses

  • DCMS Select Committee Inquiry: Promoting Britain Overseas

I have attached a copy of the Tourism Alliance submission that was send to the DCMS Select Committee today for their Promoting Britain Overseas Inquiry.

  • Financial Impact Survey

Thank you to everyone that has send out the financial impact survey to their members.

We have 1850 responses so far which is a great response. The closing date for the survey in 10th January so can I ask you to send out a final reminder to your members asking them to complete it by then. The link is for them to complete the survey.

https://forms.gle/K3KcSMu9of2iBFBd7

Also, if you want to see the top line results from the survey, here is the link to the analysis page

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1n1Oc-_ks0HqUgG6w5Jj5yKC3cpiKd0MqZdjh6kT4M1Q/viewanalytics