Aviation: Coronavirus

(asked on 28th April 2020) - View Source

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to reintroduce COVID-19 screening of all incoming international passengers and air crew at all UK airports; and why such measures have not been in place throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.


Answered by
Baroness Vere of Norbiton Portrait
Baroness Vere of Norbiton
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
This question was answered on 13th May 2020

Targeted screening measures were initially carried out at UK airports for inbound passengers during the containment phase of the pandemic when the aim was to prevent the virus coming in to the UK. Whilst there is community transmission within the UK, the role played by imported cases is less significant and so our focus in the current delay phase has not been on screening measures at the border.

Airlines and airports have implemented additional measures in response to COVID-19 in line with advice from Public Health England (PHE), Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) and the Chief Medical Officer, as well as following their existing internal protocols on preventing the spread of infectious diseases.

In time, the aviation sector will begin to restart and recover, and we are exploring measures that could be deployed in the aviation sector to ensure the public can be confident that flying is a safe and healthy way of travelling. Any changes to our approach will be led by advice from SAGE and the Chief Medical Officer.

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