Mandatory hotel quarantine in the UK

[Circumlocutious]

There was the New Zealand thread which touched on this, but I thought it’s helpful to have a more targeted discussion. Mandatory hotel quarantine for all UK arrivals, likely to be signed off on tomorrow.

Twitter thread from FT journalist discussing some of the complex aspects involved:

mobile.twitter.com/SebastianEPayne/status/1353657496716660737

Do you think it’ll ‘work’? (presumably its main purpose is to stop new covid variants from coming in). Why / why not?

Bloody pointless now- should have done this 10/11 months ago. Now all you’re doing is ruining any hopes of things improving this year- I fucking hate this useless government

Already happens in other countries. Agree we should have done it before but anything helps.

There will be a list of exemptions including the government's important friends, important business people and elite footballers - almost certainly

@LovingBob

There will be a list of exemptions including the government's important friends, important business people and elite footballers - almost certainly

Yep exactly will just screw over the average person Just remember once restrictions come they rarely go. I’m unhappy for any further restrictions until we know the end goal to have them lifted

Given that proof of a negative covid test is now mandatory for entry into each of the four nations that make up the UK, including for UK citizens, there seems to be minimal point in this.

Sounds like government by opinion poll, again.

They should have done from the start. Even without new strains it will stop dead the transmission and lower the general R rate.

I don’t understand how there are so many people still travelling “for work”.

I don’t want to go on holiday I just want to see my family ffs . A year now . I wish they would just keep it that you can isolate at a persons residence and that should cut down those travelling just for the sake of it .

We’ve put it off so far trying to do the right thing but if they close borders / make it hotel quarantine then there is no hope of seeing each other for the foreseeable

@NastyBlouse

Given that proof of a negative covid test is now mandatory for entry into each of the four nations that make up the UK, including for UK citizens, there seems to be minimal point in this.

Sounds like government by opinion poll, again.

That’s really not true. People can (and do) test negative despite incubating the virus. Testing prior to travel might pick up a few cases but it’s absolutely not a catch all approach.

@Changemaname1 totally agree, I don’t want to go on holiday - just see my fiancé - is that really so much to ask? Clearly it is, and I don’t know how much longer I’m willing to put my life on hold without knowing if/when it’ll get any better

Will this be just for holiday makers? What about if you get sent abroad to work? Will Boris have to stay in a hotel if he Goes to Paris for a meeting? Will they make Biden and the other world leaders isolate in a travelodge for 2 weeks before the G7 summit?

Somewhat late (!) but I agree with this. Just listened to interviews in Radio 4 with how it worked in Australia. Yes it’s decimated international tourism but also improved domestic tourism.

I was hearing about how the aviation industry are appalled. Yes, we’re all appalled by the current situation which is both devastating human life and the economy in ways not always obvious.

It is too late to close travel corridors to X country when mutant strains are here - as the pint at which they are detected means they’re already here!!!

*at the point

@Iamclearlyamug eughh it’s just horrible . I think people shouting to shut the borders probably have everyone they love around them or at least in the same country and have no idea how hard it is .

Perhaps if it had happened last March we would be in a miles better position now , but to do this almost a year down the line . .. Just piling on more misery isn’t it

Problem is exemptions. The Foreign Secretary was in Kenya, Sudan and Ethiopia last week according to the Foreign Office’s Twitter - why?! - and you can bet he wouldn’t have to quarantine on return if he did the same next week.

Well it’s a bit like wearing a condom when you’re partner is eight months pregnant.

I like the idea even if it is almost a year late, however.

1. We have a lot of people landing each day, logistically how will this be managed?
2. Would we reduce numbers entering the UK each day?
3. Would hotels and therefore hotel staff be paid fairly for this service?
4. The above but the coach companies and drivers.

I’d also be keen to know how this would work with regard to reasonable protection of hotel staff, many of whom are low-wage workers.

When you go to work in a hotel you don’t necessarily sign up for performing infection control, or potentially being at enhanced risk of contracting an infectious illness. It feels like a big ask for housekeeping and other service staff.

Given that people quarantined in hotels would need hotel services — food, laundry, housekeeping — how does the plan protect the workers who will be interacting with the ‘guests’?

@Changemaname1

If you think people are only thinking of it from their perspective I’d say the same to you. No one escapes the impact of these decisions and people who have family nearby now can’t see them so clearly something (many things) have to change.

I get why they've done it/doing it but should have been done from the start then we probably wouldn't be in this mess.

I feel sorry for my DH who is French and won't have seen his parents for two years come august. If he has to quarantine for two weeks and pay for a hotel he won't be going to France anytime soon .

I know friends/family in NZ & Australia who are in the same boat and it's very sad. It's not all about going on holiday....although right now I'd give anything to be somewhere hot with a cocktail!

The thing is Australia limits its citizens from leaving. It’s the only way the numbers are workable. If the UK doesn’t do this I don’t think they are going to manage capacity wise. As much as my libertarian instincts don’t like it, I think some sort of monitoring device that checks people are remaining in self-isolation in their homes is a better policy.

It's all leaks so far but I've just read in the Times that it will take around three weeks to implement. I hope so, DH is abroad working and we've obviously got no idea of exemptions at present (crew in elite sports bubble).
I'm so sick of this government by opinion poll leaks bullshit. I've had a hugely stressful day because of this and no clear answers as yet.

Bloody pointless now- should have done this 10/11 months ago. Now all you’re doing is ruining any hopes of things improving this year-

Completely agree that we should have done it right from the start!
Why is it pointless, now though, surely it's better late than never?!
I mean I'm no fan, but they can't bloody win lol - "pointless now, you're just ruining it getting back to normal!"
Just shows people moan whatever.

According to the daily Mail the security were having sex with the guests and the virus was rampant within the hotels

This was in Australia

Good.

We should have stopped flights from hotspots in January, but better late than never.

@Changemaname1

I don’t want to go on holiday I just want to see my family ffs . A year now . I wish they would just keep it that you can isolate at a persons residence and that should cut down those travelling just for the sake of it .

We’ve put it off so far trying to do the right thing but if they close borders / make it hotel quarantine then there is no hope of seeing each other for the foreseeable

I feel for you, but I presume trusting people to be honest and do that hasn’t worked unfortunately.

It doesn’t appear to work well with isolating either.