A new Covid-19 testing site has opened near the pport of Portsmouth to help get travellers cruising safely.
The facility will provide rapid lateral flow antigen tests for up to 12,000 passenger due to sail on Virgin Voyages ship Scarlet Lady this month.
Passengers with Virgin Voyages are required to have two Covid vaccines, and also agree to have a negative antigen test before embarkation.
The new testing facility is located under two fully equipped marquees accessed via a Covid secure shuttle bus from the port’s car park.
On arrival, travellers go through a check-in process and are required to show their vaccine status using the NHS app or vaccination card, as well as going into a testing booth. Passengers then get their results via email 20 minutes later, confirming whether they can proceed to check in and embark the ship.
Mark Philpott (pictured centre), chief executive of indpendent medical service supplier NPH Group, which is running the testing site, said: “This not only helps people to cruise in British waters again, it also helps to support the cruise industry and open up more possibilities of international cruising, which was hit hard by the pandemic, and it will provide added revenues to one of our English ports.
“Our system ensures that travellers have a quick and smooth experience when going through the testing process near the port.”
Portsmouth International Port passenger operations manager Andrew Williamson added: “The safety of passengers and staff remains our priority, and we want journeys through our port to be as comfortable and easy as possible.
“Portsmouth was the first port in the UK to be independently verified by independent assessors DNV, who graded the new Covid-19 protocols against hospital grade standards.
“We’re delighted to be working with NPH Group and Virgin Voyages on this dedicated testing facility which will ensure a smooth start for sailors boarding Scarlet Lady on the summer series of cruises from Portsmouth.”