U.K. Closes Travel Corridors, Arrivals Need Negative Virus Test

(Bloomberg) -- The U.K. said it will close its travel corridors with countries around the world, meaning all visitors from overseas will require a negative coronavirus test within 72 hours of travel to enter Britain.

Visitors may be checked when they arrive in the U.K. and could face substantial fines if they do not comply, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said at a televised press conference on Friday.

“We will be stepping up our enforcement both at the border and in country,” Johnson said.

The new rules will come into force at 4 a.m. on Monday, Johnson said. The countries where visitors could previously arrive in the U.K. without needing to quarantine on arrival included Thailand, Vietnam, Taiwan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Rwanda, and Norway.

All arrivals will then have to quarantine for 10 days, though this can be cut short if they test negative after 5 days under the U.K.’s test-release program.