Someone pls explain why I need to quarantine

[FreakishKoala]

I live in Hong Kong. But I'm British. I want to come home at some point to see my grandmother who I fear may not have long left (not corona FYI). But I can't because I would have to quarantine in the Uk and then again back on arrival in HK. That makes a one week visit a 5 week mission.

Hong Kong has no community spread. We haven't had a locally spread case for weeks and all new cases (of which there are very very few) are imported and found early due to (1) testing - every single person that lands here is tested and (2) mandatory quarantine on arrival.

So pls can someone explain to me why I need to quarantine in the Uk after I have come from here? Surely it should only be one way - ie you should quarantine when you return from a higher risk country!?

[Gwenhwyfar]

I think you're right OP. It makes no sense to quarantine people coming from countries with less Covid. It should have been done in February and March, but now we are the risk to others.

[Jaxhog]

Oh well, that's what the world wants, even if it's quite illogical. Agree with others that you can't insist HK is allowed this measure but other countries aren't.

It ISN'T illogical though, is it. You only think that because it's an inconvenience to you. Rather a selfish perspective really.

[SailingAwayIntoSunrise]

[quote FreakishKoala]@titchy fair point re NZ but it's probably worth noting that they traced they pretty sharpish and they haven't suddenly had a massive spread and new death rate from those two people as a result... [/quote]
Yet.

It only happened last week. The transmission and death rate won't have gone up in that short time

Fwiw I don't think NZ is in big trouble from that cock-up but I absolutely support quarantine coming into a country.

The fact you think you should be exempt because you're in HK is irrelevant.

I'm in Australia and we have State borders closed. Which I support. This disease is a nightmare and anything we can do to curb it must be done.

[confusedbymyheritage]

You have to quarantine because it's 0 tolerance for recreational travellers. If an exception is made for one then everyone will be asking for them, citing their own logic, pleading sob stories. It doesn't matter if you think it's stupid, when you visit a country you abide by their laws and rules - if you don't like them, well then don't travel there.

[notimagain]

Fair question OP..

Yep, it seems a bit odd to have to quarantine coming into the UK in the current circumstances - also there are so many exceptions ( diplomats, politicians, transport workers and other essential workers, the military, and umpteen other categories ) and from what I am hearing is is so weakly enforced that it is certainly not the watertight system some seem to think it is.

IMHO the main reason for it being put in place when it was (late) was a wish by some in power to appear to be doing something...but despite all that fundamentally and has been said "rules is rules" and you are stuck with it.

[Gunpowder]

YANBU OP it’s completely ridiculous.

[TheGreatWave]

It also makes no sense that the British government is going to open air bridges with countries like France that have many more cases than our 0. So I'd love to know how you reconcile your arguments with that...

It's all about the money, (on both sides) need to have some semblance of trade and tourism and that is not possible with people needing to quarantine.

[MissEliza]

Excellent point @HelloDulling

[HelloDulling]

It’s interesting that you call the UK home yet clearly have complete contempt for everyone here, and are happy to completely disregarded any health risk to them caused by travel into this country. The rule is a blanket 2 week quarantine for inbound travellers, just like you have in HK.

[SunbathingDragon]

I think it’s perfectly reasonable for all countries to have their own rules and quarantine restrictions for those entering, especially since the staff on the flights won’t have been in quarantine between each flight.

[TW2013]

The air crew won't have just been just in HK waiting to fly you to the UK. They will have been flying other people to other places. You will be in an enclosed space with them for hours. The passport control people will have contact with many people each day. In the UK airport you might encounter people from many different countries.

[NoHardSell]

You perhaps misunderstand

You can do what you want. Noone cares. It's a political empty gesture. Quarantine or don't, noone is checking (or ... you would be incredibly unlucky to be the one they do check), the government couldn't care less, stay with your grandmother if you want, you can even leave the house officially if it's 'essential'.

[Jaxhog]

Because you might catch the virus on the plane or at the airport.

[Isthisfinallyit]

It also makes no sense tat the British government is going to open air bridges with countries like France that have many more cases than our 0. So I'd love to know how you reconcile your arguments with that...

It's not up to you to decide which risks other countries should take. France and tge UK sre neighbours, there will already be some cross contamination due to trade routes.

[Isthisfinallyit]

Who am I going to catch it from on the plane if we have no cases here? Genuinely confused about that

From all those people that had a connecting flight at hong kong. Seriously, haven't you ever heard of people transferring to another flight? Did you really think that only hong kong people board the flight to the UK?

[MissEliza]

I agree with @Redolent. It may be under control in Europe but other parts of the world haven't yet peaked. The sensible thing would be to be more open with countries whose infection rate data is low and reliable. . My dh is from Egypt. Officially cases are relatively low there but lots of people are becoming ill and ICUs are full. Yet their government will soon open resorts to foreign tourists. They're desperate for foreign cash and that's taking priority.

[GirlCalledJames]

It’s probably also intended to make people not want to travel if they have any choice in the matter.

[CKBJ]

Assuming your grandmother isn’t in a care home quarantine at her house.

[Redolent]

@RedCatBlueCat

It's crazy. You are much more likely to catch it on the streets of where you are visiting than in HK.
We should have done this back in March. Right now, we are shutting the stable door well after the horse has bolted. Or shutting it in preparation for lower covid levels sone point in the future when we are no longer a plague country.

I don’t think the horse has bolted to be fair. In the United States, Latin America, India, Pakistan, Middle East, it’s just getting started. Cases are rising hugely.

[RedCatBlueCat]

It's crazy. You are much more likely to catch it on the streets of where you are visiting than in HK.
We should have done this back in March. Right now, we are shutting the stable door well after the horse has bolted. Or shutting it in preparation for lower covid levels sone point in the future when we are no longer a plague country.

[MRex]

@FreakishKoala
@mrexthe border is closed and has been for a while. Anyone who comes in from China is tested and quarantined too, so that's not correct.

I explained that Hong Kong is unfortunately part of China. Even with the border closed, it's still part of China and UK immigration rules in this area are being set at country-level right now. What was incorrect about that? I'd love to see Hong Kong set free as their own country, but I'm fairly sure I'd have heard if it happened.

[Regularsizedrudy]

Cause thems the rules

[DartmoorChef]

There will be thousands of other passengers at Heathrow. Any of them could be contagious.

[TheCanterburyWhales]

In fairness, the only thing that would currently worry me about coming to the UK would be catching it once over there given the half-arsed measures taken up until now. I'd imagine one would be far more likely to come into contact with someone infected in a London airport than in most other places in the world.

How can the OP think of flying a (presumably vulnerable) grandparent abroad? Most places are still restricting passengers incoming from the UK aren't they?

[BlueJava]

You have to quanrantine because that's the measures the UK Government have in place.

Who am I going to catch it from on the plane if we have no cases here? Genuinely confused about that
That's largely irrelevant because of the rules in the UK. However, there could be people on the plane who are transferring between flights at HK airport. So even if HK is Covid19-free, which I highly doubt and it hasn't declared itself as such, there is still risk.