Piers Morgan in furious screaming match with Covid vaccine minister over ‘absolutely ridiculous’ lack of border tests

PIERS Morgan got himself into a screaming match with the Covid vaccine minister this morning over the "absolutely ridiculous" lack of tests at borders.

In the heated debate on Good Morning Britain, vaccine deployment minister Nadhim Zahawi defended the decision not to test people for coronavirus at UK airports.

⚠️ Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates

1

Zahawi told host Piers Morgan that the Transport Secretary was looking at the testing regime.

Mr Morgan said: "We have, for inexplicable reasons, to anyone with a brain... throughout this pandemic resolutely refused to test people when they arrive at our border.

"Nor have we required anybody to have a test to be negative when they get here.

"Do you know how many people we have tested at our border?"

Mr Zahawi said: "The answer is you don't take a test on the border because it's pointless."

Mr Morgan added: "So the answer is zero... we don't test people, any of our borders when they come in.

"Secondly, we have never required anybody to have a test, and to test negative before they get on a plane to our country, unlike almost every other country in the world."

Mr Zahawi then rebutted: "If you ask the scientists - Chris Whitty and Jonathan Van-Tam - that test at the border is near pointless because that person may be showing no symptoms, may test negative and two days later be positive."

BORDER TEST ROW

The vaccine deployment minister was then asked if he knew how many people had been fined for breaking quarantine rules after coming into the country.

Piers Morgan said: "You left the borders open, which for a government which has built its entire reputation on controlling our borders, is absolutely ridiculous.

"We have given 14 fixed penalty notices issued at the border and 20 fixed penalty notices issued by the police - this is in response to 30-40 million people who've flown into the country during the pandemic.

"People may look at these numbers and the lack of testing at airports and the refusal to make people take a test before they fly in, and I think it's absolutely ridiculous and one of the reasons that we have the worst death toll in Europe."

Mr Zahawi replied: "If you had allowed me a little bit of space to get into that soliloquy to say... if you look at what we did when the scientists discovered the South African strain we immediately acted, and stopped travel from South Africa.

"That is the right thing to do, to act on the information that we receive as quickly as possible. That is what the role of government is.

"Of course we can learn from other countries, but if scientific evidence suggests that it's much better for us to focus on quarantining..."

SHOUTING MATCH

Mr Morgan responded: "Someone in the Government has got to work out the answer to these questions and do something about it.

"Because actually, I think the inquiry into all this at the end of the day will establish that our failure to control our border is one of the reasons we're in the mess we're in."

The heated conversation comes as Tory MPs accused Matt Hancock of downplaying the government's coronavirus vaccine target, amid claims his department has snubbed help from pharmacies and won't deliver the jab to GPs on Sundays.

The government's radical blitz sets out to protect 13million at highest risk from Covid by mid-February - with the over 65s and younger adults with serious health conditions expected to receive the jab first.

New guidance issued to NHS Trusts warns the jabs won't be issued on Sundays or after agreed 'cut-off points' every lunchtime - even if supplies run low.

Meanwhile, it's been reported that international travellers must now test negative for Covid before they're allowed to enter the UK under new lockdown rules.

Only hauliers will be exempt from the strict new rules, set to be put in place as Brits battle a super-infectious mutant strain of the virus.

READ MORE SUN STORIES

OUT OF ACTION

GK Barry reveals footballer girlfriend Ella Rutherford has been rushed to A&E

GULP!

Urgent warning for Brits with leftover Baileys after Christmas

Yesterday, Covid cases in the UK jumped by 60,916 in the highest-ever rise, as England was forced into a third lockdown.

Cases rocketed after a mutant strain of the disease tore through the country - passing the 60,000 mark for the first time.