United Kingdom to set out quarantine measures for worldwide arrivals
- by Virginia Carter
- in World Media
- — May 23, 2020
Travellers arriving in Britain from overseas will face 14 days in quarantine, a senior minister confirmed on Friday, saying the government would give details later.
In addition to Britain, travellers arriving in Ireland from next week will also be legally required to inform the government where they will quarantine for 14 days to prevent the spread of coronavirus, Minister for Health Simon Harris said on Friday.
Travellers will need to tell the government where they will quarantine, with enforcement through random spot checks and £1,000 fines in England.
Anyone breaching the two-week self-isolation faces £1,000 fixed penalty or prosecution with an unlimited fine, although Scotland is expected to set it at £60 to stay in line with penalties for breaches of lockdown regulations.
"Arrivals will be required to travel directly from their port or airport of arrival, preferably by vehicle, to an address where they must then self-isolate for a fortnight".
Anyone moving from within the common travel area, covering Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.
Saying that the government is "unafraid" to increase the penalties if that is necessary, Patel added: "We will review these temporary public health measures every three weeks to make sure they remain the right ones for our roadmap to recovery".
Britain did not close its borders during the worst of the country's coronavirus outbreak, which has been linked to more than 36,000 deaths in the U.K. It is introducing its quarantine just as many other European countries are starting to open up again.
The opposition Labour Party supported the measures but said the government's handling of United Kingdom arrivals had "lacked urgency, coherence and clarity from the outset".
All arriving passengers will be required to fill this in to provide contact and travel information so they can be contacted if they, or someone they may have been in contact with develops the disease.
But airlines have said a quarantine requirement would "effectively kill air travel" - and one airport boss described the plans as a "blunt tool".
Friends and family will not need to isolate with the people who have arrived, unless they have also travelled.
However, people travelling from France will not be exempt, the government has previously confirmed, after it was initially suggested otherwise.
Removal from the country will be considered as a last resort for foreign nationals who refuse to comply.
A full exemption list will be available soon, according to Ms Patel.
Labour's shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds said the party supported the new measures "but is clear they are no substitute for a long-term, well thought through approach".
