Arrivals to Britain from abroad face a two-week quarantine
According to the BBC, the new rules will take effect from June 8. They apply to both foreigners and Britons returning home. Representatives of epidemiological services will have the right to conduct unannounced checks on compliance.
As part of additional measures to counter a second wave of the epidemic, all arrivals to the United Kingdom by plane, ferry or train will be required to fill out a form with contact details. They will have to inform border authorities of the address where they plan to self-isolate, or go to state-provided temporary accommodation at their own expense.
Exceptions are made only for long-distance truck drivers, medical workers, and those arriving from the Republic of Ireland. Those arriving from France will have to follow the general rules, although it was previously assumed that an exception would also be made for them.
“The reality is that we are telling people: if you decide to go abroad, be prepared to quarantine upon your return,” said Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis.
Shadow Health Secretary Jonathan Ashworth supported the government’s plan, adding that “the only question is why we didn’t do this earlier.” “I urge the government to continue with its plans and provide us with details of how this will work in practice,” he added.
Many other countries, including New Zealand, South Africa, South Korea and the United States, already send all arriving passengers into 14-day quarantine.
However, airlines object to the proposed measures. Former head of the UK Border Force Tony Smith also expressed bewilderment that such a decision was not taken earlier. At the last meeting of the House of Commons committee, he said he expected a more consistent approach from the government to reducing the risk of virus transmission from abroad.
Speaking at the same meeting, Karen Dee, chair of the Airport Operators Association, said there were no questions about the technical side of implementing quarantine, but she found its introduction at this time strange. She called the proposed measures a “blunt instrument” because they apply to everyone under all circumstances. Airports would prefer a selective approach based on specific risk assessments and agreements between countries.
Airlines point out that the new quarantine measures will worsen their already catastrophic situation. Air traffic volume has fallen a hundredfold compared to pre-crisis levels.
Virgin Atlantic said the government initiative would prevent it from resuming flights by August as previously planned, because “there simply won’t be enough demand.” A Ryanair representative called the plan unworkable. In her opinion, it will not work unless arriving passengers are forcibly locked up in airports and hotels. “If these measures are scientifically justified, then no exception should be made for passengers from Ireland either,” she added.
The quarantine policy will be reviewed every three weeks depending on the situation. At present, the authorities’ position is that travel abroad should only be undertaken in cases of urgent necessity, and people with any symptoms resembling coronavirus should not do so under any circumstances.