Shortened quarantine periods mulled for NY-London travel

New York, Oct 13 (IANS) Shortened quarantine periods were being considered for air travellers between New York City and London as soon as the upcoming holidays, according to a media report.The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) report on Monday said that establishing those routes would require travellers to be tested for Covid-19 before their flight and again upon arrival, allowing them to avoid lengthy quarantines at their destinations, Xinhua news agency reported."The growing availability of Covid-19 tests in the US has prompted officials at the Transportation Department, Department of Homeland Security and other agencies to revive efforts to establish safe travel corridors between the U.S. and international destinations," the newspaper quoted official sources as saying.Federal officials have recently discussed about an initial corridor with their UK counterparts, and the talks have also involved German officials, the report added.A Homeland Security official said the agency's work to "safely encourage trans-Atlantic travel while mitigating public health risks" was in its early stages, according to the report.Key details must be worked out before US President Donald Trump's administration and foreign governments agree to the plan, it added.
--IANS ksk/