Britain working to reduce quarantine through testing - Hancock

LONDON, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Britain is working to reduce the
14-day quarantine period for arrivals from countries including
Spain and France, offering the chance of some respite to a
travel industry reeling from the impact of COVID-19.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said a simple test when
travellers land at an airport would not be effective, but the
government was looking at ideas such as testing eight days after
arrival.

Airline and tour companies have pleaded for a change to the
14-day quarantine rules.

"We are working to find a way that would allow for the
quarantine to be reduced, but done in a way that also keeps
people safe," Hancock said on LBC radio on Monday.

But he said one test at the airport was not the answer.

"The reason it doesn't work is because this virus can
incubate for a period inside your body without a test being able
to pick it up," he said.

A test eight days after arrival was one option being
considered, he said.

"It is one of the things we'd like to bring in as soon as
it's practical to do it," he said.

"It is something that we are working on, but it isn't
something that is as straightforward as simply testing people
when they get off a plane because of the number of people for
whom that wouldn't catch."
(Reporting by Paul Sandle and Elizabeth Piper)