UK to begin rapid covid-19 testing at Heathrow airport

A report by the Times newspaper has revealed that passengers travelling to Hong Kong and Italy from Britain’s Heathrow Airport will undergo a one-hour coronavirus test before flying out of the United Kingdom under plans to open up international travel.

According to the Times newspaper report, rapid tests will be introduced from Tuesday at Heathrow Airport in London to allow travellers to enter countries where a negative COVID-19 test result is needed to avoid a lengthy quarantine.

The report further added that passengers are required to book a test in advance at a cost of 80 British pounds ($103), aviation services firms Collinson and Swissport setting up rapid-testing facilities for outbound passengers at Heathrow.

This came weeks after AstraZeneca, one of the most advanced vaccines in development resumed British clinical trials of its COVID-19 drug.

The resumption of clinical trials came after getting the green light from concerned safety watchdogs, the company said.