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?

Problem is @Liveandletlive3 many people in this country think the rules don’t apply to them, so when isolation was mandatory when returning from holidays abroad they didn’t bother and the Government didn’t bother checking either. The other issue of course is that many people would get off the plain and jump on public transport to get to their home, potentially spreading the virus far and wide. But with a quarantine hotel near the airport and Government transport to take you there, you are limiting contact with people.

I’m sure it would just make more sense for them to check that people are isolating at home.

I know Canada has something similar but their own citizens who rent or own homes there are allowed to quarantine in their own home where as tourists/ visitors will have to quarantine in a hotel for 10/14 days.

I live in Canada and the system seems to be working well. You get a phone call every day, and if there's any suspicion that you have broken quarantine then the police visit. You now also need a negative PCR test to enter. We do have some quarantine hotels but these are only for people who don't have anywhere else appropriate to quarantine; apparently they are quite nice and well run.

The govt is looking at tighter restrictions here too but I'm not sure how realistic it is as we have 100+ land border crossings with the US.
The difference is that the Canadian govt, while not perfect, has charted a sensible, moderate course through this whole thing. The BJ govt by contrast swings from the most lax to the most draconian measures possible.

I was an expat in Singapore, and had to return to Australia due to COVID. Work recalled due to redundancies in the Singaporean office, new role created back home.

Upon arrival in Australia, I needed to hotel quarantine for 14 days. During these days I could not leave my room. Food was delivered to my door, and I had to wait for 2 minutes after the knock to open it, mask on. Fresh sheets and towels delivered to my door twice a week. I needed to make my bed. Absolutely no contact.

Each floor of the hotel had security guards, and there was police on the ground floor. Covid test twice during the stay, day 3 and day 12.

It was very tough to have no human contact or fresh air or exercise for 14 days, but I believe the Australian sense of mateship shows we prioritise the benefit of the collective not the individual. Yes, there were issues with Melbourne hotel quarantine, but the program was shut down for months until it was fixed.

Just look at our numbers now - not only for COVID, but overall health. Our hospitals are fine, doctors are fine, and no issue with kids being at school. Yes international tourism has taken a huge hit, but we are seeing gains in domestic travel.

I say go for it! As an FYI, many Australian's can't believe that there are no border restrictions in UK and US. Madness.

Fresh sheets and towels delivered to my door twice a week. I needed to make my bed. Absolutely no contact

I heard on the radio that some of the Aus Open tennis players have also needed explicit instructions about how to make a bed.

It’s been justified though, as a few players who tested negative before the plane trip have tested positive in quarantine.

Ha. I was reading a post about Aus quarantine from someone who couldn’t open their hotel window even. The thought of landing in that sunshine and dealing with that made me baulk.

Ever heard of air conditioning? I'm in NZ and it's heading towards 40oC today - no way would I want to open a window!

@Bluntness100

I think this is more to make people happy politically and to prevent new strains coming in

The issue isn’t the new cases, it’s the old people getting it. Average age of those dying is 82. The hospitals are predominantly full of elderly and vulnerable Covid patients, and rhe ones dying, as said, are on average 82 years old. The average death age is actually 81

But it stops new strains and that’s important.

At Portsmouth hospital the average age of patients in ITU last week was 48. It was on a little video clip on the BBC news app.

@Indoctro Why should people who live in the UK be treated any differently?

Virtually all incoming aeroplane passengers are UK residents, all have to quarantine for ten days.

Presuming I was on my own, and that they provided all meals - 10 days in a hotel (I'd make sure I had several books, MN) sounds quite a nice break!

@PinkyParrot

Presuming I was on my own, and that they provided all meals - 10 days in a hotel (I'd make sure I had several books, MN) sounds quite a nice break!

Year sure if I was on my own! But I need to head back to the U.K. with a tiny baby soon! Can't fucking wait to have to now spend £1500 for the privilege of staying in a fucking hotel room trying to care for my baby, while trying to keep him quiet for DH's and my work calls. We were planning on quarantining at an Airbnb near my in laws. This all fucking sucks

So those saying uk international workers should quarantine each time they return to uk , how to envision that is even possible

I don't think you are aware of the situation fully

Do you think people will just keep working and not see there home for the foreseeable

Just work then straight to hotel then back to work and back to hotel..??

Yeah I'm sure all your lorry drivers, oil workers, airline workers are going to do that

Would you do that...???

[quote SimonJT]@Indoctro Why should people who live in the UK be treated any differently?

Virtually all incoming aeroplane passengers are UK residents, all have to quarantine for ten days.[/quote]
Because if they want people to keep working I think they have no choice

International key workers deserve exemptions and so far have been granted it and will be continued to be granted it

Someone going on the odd business trip or a visit to see someone fair enough

But a person crossing borders constantly can't quarantine every time they return

For a start the haulage industry would grind to a Halt

I don't think anyone is actually thinking this through

The BJ govt by contrast swings from the most lax to the most draconian measures possible.

That's a good point. Its government by populism, "bright" ideas and nudge theory. Its at best unsettling and at worst psychologically abusive.

SophocIestheFox

it’s absolutely true that when I started my bi-located life, I did neglect to imagine how I would manage to keep my pecker up after a year of rolling restrictions and border closures caused by a global pandemic ramps my stress up to unmanageable levels. Careless of me.”

Though tbf the scientific community have been publicly suggesting for years that humanity was long overdue a pandemic, it’s astonishing we’ve gone over a century without more widespread disease.
Some local authorities even had it listed as the most likely threat, over political turmoil and even Brexit.
Forgetting a pandemic though (wouldn’t that be lovely 🙄), we’re animals, nature is volatile, things happen. Another volcanic eruption could stop you for travelling for months on end too. Such things do need to be taken into account, however unlikely you think they are, if you decide to live far away from family 🤷‍♀️

I’ve not read the whole thread, so apologies if this has already been said.

At the minute they are asking for a negative COVID test upon entry and the corridors are no longer in operation so does that mean everyone arriving should already be isolating for 14 days??

If so the problem is that people are selfish and don’t bother following this as no one checks.

If they don’t want to implement the hotel isolation then they need to check if people are isolating and start finding them a substantial amount, enough to make people think twice about leaving their address.

I don’t want to derail the thread too much, Australia did start of by allowing home isolating but found there was too many people. To complying( even with large fines) so moved to hotel quArentine.

SimonJt

At Portsmouth hospital the average age of patients in ITU last week was 48. It was on a little video clip on the BBC news app”

The shifting demographic has been highlighted for some time now but the message just isn’t getting through. People rudely going on about elderly “Doris” who ought to be grateful she’s lasted so long (charming).

Perhaps they’re wilfully ignoring it because it’s not convenient to listen to?

QuentinInQuarantino

@MaxNormal @SophocIestheFox thanksthanksthanks

But people will tell you to suck it up because they've made sacrifices too because they haven't seen their mum since Xmas. envy“

Haven’t seen mine since 20th December, 2019. We’re in the same country. Lots of people in the same boat.

All those people saying it's impossible. Many countries have been doing it for nearly a year now.

The UK has one of the worst death rates of any country in the world.

Yes maybe a year later is a bit late to be considering these kind of measures, but surely something is better than nothing.

However members of the UK have to get past the "I'm special the rules don't apply to me" mindset. It won't work otherwise

I agree with you @Tr1skel1on
Unfortunately I think whatever the UK brings in will be full of exemptions. What a pity that this wasn't introduced a year ago, or when cases were low last summer. But can you imagine the complaints....numbers are so low why can't we go on holiday without quarantining on return! And that the expectation to self isolate we already have wasn't actually enforced better. (Fully accept not all travel is for jollies).

All the radio interview s I’ve heard this morning seem to be rowing back somewhat to just very affected countries like Brazil and South Africa not everywhere. Little challenge from the hosts who presumably looked at how this policy might affect their own holiday this year and thought sod that!

@NoseinBook3

I’m sure it would just make more sense for them to check that people are isolating at home.

That would be good, but doesn't address the problem of people using public transport to get home, where other passengers could be affected.

And who is going to check people are isolating at home. Perhaps electronic tags would be the answer???

@eaglejulesk

Ha. I was reading a post about Aus quarantine from someone who couldn’t open their hotel window even. The thought of landing in that sunshine and dealing with that made me baulk.

Ever heard of air conditioning? I'm in NZ and it's heading towards 40oC today - no way would I want to open a window!

No thanks. You keep sealed in if you want.

I’d prefer option to open a window.

@DenisetheMenace

SimonJt

At Portsmouth hospital the average age of patients in ITU last week was 48. It was on a little video clip on the BBC news app”

The shifting demographic has been highlighted for some time now but the message just isn’t getting through. People rudely going on about elderly “Doris” who ought to be grateful she’s lasted so long (charming).

Perhaps they’re wilfully ignoring it because it’s not convenient to listen to?

The average covidiot is unlikely to be glued to the BBC news. That's the problem now - younger people dont generally watch live TV. All the BBC are doing are scaring the shit out of their main audience, older people, who are mostly already following the rules. The Govt need to find ways of engaging with the younger people.

Yes, it does seem that the most it will be is the countries on the recently banned list that will have to hotel quarantine, maybe they are going to see how that works because to go from nothing to the whole world and the logistics it would involve seems an almost impossible task, so maybe this is like an interim things do, if it works well will be expanded

DH remarked how busy Simon Calder has been during this, he was on again this morning.

If so the problem is that people are selfish and don’t bother following this as no one checks.

Yep, two of our neighbours came back from their Xmas holiday last weekend (they got stuck there - what a shame!!!). Instead of quarantining, they've been in and out of their house several times a day, had a few different visitors (friends and family) and now have workmen in replacing their kitchen.

They did the same for their October holiday (though no new kitchen), and their Summer holiday.

Before Xmas, they had a party at home with 10-20 guests.

Some people really don't care. The only way to stop their stupidity is having an enforced hotel quarantine.

No thanks. You keep sealed in if you want.

I’d prefer option to open a window.

Not when it's that hot - all opening a window does is let the hot air in. You really wouldn't want to do that, especially when it is hot windy air.