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National Health Service workers reply a question during a pop-up Covid vaccination centre, acceptable up astatine Heaven nighttime nine successful London, Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021. London's Heaven nine has go the UK's archetypal nightclub to beryllium turned into a pop-up Coronavirus vaccination centre, arsenic authorities effort to pull younger radical to get vaccinated. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)

LONDON – Britain’s contention watchdog said Sunday it volition look into the outgo of COVID-19 investigating for travelers aft Health Secretary Sajid Javid complained that precocious prices for the government-mandated tests were preventing immoderate radical from going connected vacation.

PCR tests required for astir travelers mean astir 75 pounds ($104) each, oregon 300 pounds for a household of four, but galore firms complaint importantly more. Prices quoted by providers listed connected the authorities website scope from 17 pounds ($24) to 250 pounds ($347).

Javid said helium asked the Competition and Markets Authority to crackdown connected “unfair marketplace practices” by trial providers.

“People should beryllium capable to spell connected holiday, whether it’s to spot household oregon conscionable to relax, without fearing excessive fees for PCR tests,’’ helium said connected Twitter.

The watchdog has the authorization to intervene straight erstwhile it uncovers unfair practices but it tin besides supply proposal straight to ministers truthful they tin instrumentality swifter action.

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“We are alert of concerns astir the evolving markets for COVID-19 tests for planetary travelers,” the bureau said. “We look guardant to providing the Secretary of State with proposal connected however champion to guarantee that travelers person entree to tests that are affordable and reliable.”

Health officials, meanwhile, were giving Pfizer coronavirus shots Sunday astatine a pop-up vaccination halfway that was acceptable up for the archetypal clip successful a nightclub. The halfway astatine the Heaven nine successful London is portion of an effort aimed astatine encouraging young radical to get vaccinated.

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Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This worldly whitethorn not beryllium published, broadcast, rewritten oregon redistributed without permission.