WTTC: Governments must implement comprehensive testing facilities at airports

HE Gloria Guevara
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Written by Harry Johnson

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has called upon world’s governments to establish comprehensive COVID-19 testing facilities at the international airports.

Gloria Guevara, WTTC President & CEO said:

โ€œWTTC is calling upon Governments around the world to begin a substantial program of investment to ensure comprehensive testing facilities are implemented at airports, which will help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and see the return of safe travels.

โ€œIt is imperative that all airports, catering for international travel, implement globally recognized testing standards for both inbound and outbound passengers. This will provide reassurance to all travelers, maintain โ€˜air corridorsโ€™ between countries, and remove damage and disruption caused by blunt quarantines which massively impact the recovery of the Travel & Tourism sector.

โ€œRemoving the whole of Spain from the UK travel corridors exception list risks causing irreparable damage to the Travel & Tourism sector. It also makes no sense; while Spain as a whole, and Catalonia in particular, has a higher rate of coronavirus cases than then UK, the rate in Andalucรญa, the Balearics and Canaries is actually lower than the UK.

โ€œAs part of the screening process, testing must involve temperature checks and swab tests for all arriving and departing passengers with results back within 24 hours, and only those testing positive โ€“ with or without symptoms โ€“ should be put into quarantine. Where there are apps to assist in effective Test & Trace regimes, passengers must be advised to sign up and use them.

โ€œWe are going to have to live with COVID-19 for the foreseeable future so we must do all we can to protect public health and save lives, whilst restoring consumer confidence, driving the global economic recovery, and saving the jobs of millions of people whose very livelihoods depend upon a thriving Travel & Tourism sector.โ€

#rebuildingtravel

About the author

Avatar of Harry Johnson

Harry Johnson

Harry Johnson has been the assignment editor for eTurboNews for mroe than 20 years. He lives in Honolulu, Hawaii, and is originally from Europe. He enjoys writing and covering the news.

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