The UK is considering whether to slap new rules on Chinese travellers into Britain after a huge Covid surge.
The US, Italy, India, Taiwan, South Korea, Malaysia and Japan all announced new measures after the abrupt end of Beijing's zero-Covid policy.
Earlier, a UK government spokesperson said there were “no plans to reintroduce Covid-19 testing or additional requirements for arrivals into the UK."
But the UK government has now issued an updated statement, saying the situation is “under review” - and there are only no Covid rules “at the moment”.
The spokesperson said: “We are keeping the situation under review and the UK Health Security Agency is monitoring the public health situation.
“At the moment there are no plans to introduce any new Covid-19 testing for arrivals.”
The move was confirmed by Defence Secretary Ben Wallace on a visit to Manchester Airport.
Asked if there could be Covid travel restrictions on travellers from China to the UK, he replied: "I think the government has said it's now going to keep that under review and review whether different countries with Covid outbreaks, et cetera, should obviously face different restrictions.
"I think as we speak that is being reviewed, and I'll expect to see some clarification I think by the Department for Transport probably today or tomorrow."
Despite Mr Wallace’s comments, government sources strongly downplayed down expectations that a decision could be made by tomorrow.
No decision was expected on Thursday unless there is a drastic change, and a decision may not come on Friday either, a government source suggested. It is also possible no change will be made at all.
It's understood the data is under review, rather than ministers directly reviewing - at this stage - whether to slap on restrictions. It's thought ministers will only consider changing the rules if and when the data changes.
Earlier Rishi Sunak was urged to take action after the UK was criticised for moving too slowly.
Just before the new government statement emerged, Tory MP Steve Brine, chair of the Commons health committee, told Times Radio: “Given what's happened, I think we have every right to over- not under-react.
“So I suspect that there are robust conversations going on within government and the UK Health Security Agency, as we speak.”
He added: "I think that you will see a change from the government position here in the UK over the course of the afternoon."
Former health minister Lord Bethell, who was in post during the pandemic, praised Italy's "sensible" approach of quarantining those who test positive on arrival.
This strategy would allow results to be trusted and for genomic testing to be carried out to understand whether any new variants are emerging, he said.
"I think there are two different reasons to bring in testing - one is the American approach which is pre-testing to slow the spread,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
"That is a difficult thing to do because containing a virus like Covid is like trying to stop the sea.
"But what the Italians are doing is post-flight surveillance of arrivals in Italy in order to understand whether there are any emerging variants and... the impact of the virus on the Italian health system."
"That is a sensible thing to do and something the British Government should be seriously looking at."
He added: "You've got to appreciate that a lot of people who get on these flights, we know from experience, will be people who are poorly themselves and are coming to the West for medical help.
"That is quite a daunting prospect for our healthcare system and it's important that we know which of them have got the virus and what kind of virus they've got."
