Covid: Confusion for hauliers after France says it won't accept quick turnaround tests

Lorries waiting to enter France on Ja Credit: PA

British lorry drivers can enter France with a negative Covid result from a lateral flow test, despite French authorities saying they do not accept them, the transport secretary has said.

Grant Shapps said hauliers were exempt from the need for a negative PCR test, which can take up to 72 hours to turn around in order to get into France.

The French government will require arrivals from non-EU countries to have a negative PCR test from January 18.

The new rules will not accept the much quicker turn around lateral flow test which has been used widely in the UK.

Asked about reports France would not recognise lateral flow tests for people entering the country Grant Shapps told the BBC: “I think this is in reference to the French requiring what they call the PCR test."

Grant Shapps said hauliers would be exempt from the new French rules Credit: PA

“First of all, no one should be going to France. No one should be travelling.

“Secondly, we have a particular arrangement with the French regarding the hauliers, this is the lorry drivers, with tests which are called the lateral flow tests.

“And that remains in place at the moment.”

Last month the French government banned anyone from entering their country from the UK after British authorities went public about the development of the new faster-spreading variant of Covid-19.

The unprecedented ban left thousands of lorries stranded in Kent and caused chaos in Dover.

Freight was only allowed to move again after the two governments reached a deal, which required all drivers to have a negative result from a lateral flow test.

The lateral flow tests provide a result within half an hour, whereas a PCR test can only be processed in a lab adding significant logistical steps to getting a result.

Concerns have been raised about the efficacy of the lateral flow tests due to the need for the swab to be put deep into someone's nose and throat in order for it to be accurate.

As the PCR test can be verified by trained officials, even if it wasn't administered properly an accurate result can often still be produced, which is not the case for lateral flow tests.

Concerns have been raised over the accuracy of lateral flow tests. Credit: PA

The lateral flow tests have caused controversy in the UK over problems with their accuracy.

Academics warned earlier this week the testing strategy proposed in schools could actually increase cases of Covid-19.

The testing strategy will see staff at secondary schools and colleges in England offered weekly tests.

Writing in The BMJ, experts said using testing to manage classroom outbreaks, without isolating close contacts, risks increasing disease spread.

The article said: “Scientists have particular concerns that negative Innova (lateral flow tests) results are too inaccurate to rule out Covid.”

They said the serial testing of close contacts “may increase rather than decrease Covid cases in schools”.

This is because “the possibility that some close contacts who are infected will test negative and will spread the virus is not negligible”.

This type of mass testing could detect some pre-symptomatic cases but will “miss many” and “falsely reassure those testing negative, if they are not properly informed of the test’s limitations,” the authors said.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said they were "examining how daily contact testing arrangements and repeat testing can help find people without symptoms of coronavirus and break the chains of transmission.”