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?

Utterly pointless and pure populism.

The point of the vaccine is to open everything up and allow international travel.

There is no criteria to then get rid of this policy. It goes on forever.

@PicsInRed

People like me have been apart from family for a year and probably have at least another year to go.

Those with family in Europe can surely do a few months or choose the quarantine (my birth country is repatriation only).

Yes tough times will continue. I did not see my husband for 5 months and Australian friends were separated for 10 months.

If this is to be done, it's going to be so costly and logistically challenging that it has to be done properly

As if

It was said yesterday that the "one or two" cases of the SA variant in the UK are now "about 70" (which probably means 700). All we need is that original one or two to create widespread disease, and unless we stop everyone coming into the country - which we obviously can't - there's simply no way to stop variants arriving permanently

Which is why the whole thing's pointless grandstanding

@beingmoreme

I really hope this is a hoax. People have to pay for this to be trapped in a room? This seems crazy. I do know a few people who haven't isolated after trips, but at least those that did were at home. I understand why people don't too.

I think you may have answered your own query as to why it is needed!

@ShanghaiDiva

I don't envy your dh that process - I've heard from others that have done it that the Chinese version of quarantine can be particularly rigorous.

@Watermelon999

How does it work in other countries though? Do they not have as many special people?

Plenty of other countries have exemptions for people doing certain lines of work, whether they are "special" or not...

@TitInATrance

I just hope it’s applied to all the special people on private jets

Well given that "Private jet" crew and passengers clear customs and immigration formalities on arrival in the UK so they should be under the same microscope as everybody else.

Whether the "high worth individual" exemptions will still apply under any new rules is another matter and I guess we'll have to wait and see.

Yes it does seem to cast a shadow over the vaccination program and doesn’t give much hope to countries that have closed their borders like Australia, when even vaccination isn’t going to free them.
I am hoping this is just a warning shot across the bows to all those over 50 year olds in the media last week booking their hols and mp’s like Jeremy hunt telling everyone about his summer trip to France. I hope so anyway

What about people working offshore abroad, my husband is doing 9 weeks away and only 2/3 weeks home at the moment because of covid. So are they saying he literally can't see his family at all because of his job..??

Surely they can't push this on key workers working internationally

Up until now they have been exempted from quarantine

How can this work so long as the Irish border remains open?

It can't, so why don't we suggest closing that border too?

That'll go well ...

Good idea but should have been done 10 months ago.

I also hate this fucking useless government only.

[quote notimagain]@ShanghaiDiva

I don't envy your dh that process - I've heard from others that have done it that the Chinese version of quarantine can be particularly rigorous.

@Watermelon999

How does it work in other countries though? Do they not have as many special people?

Plenty of other countries have exemptions for people doing certain lines of work, whether they are "special" or not...

@TitInATrance

I just hope it’s applied to all the special people on private jets

Well given that "Private jet" crew and passengers clear customs and immigration formalities on arrival in the UK so they should be under the same microscope as everybody else.

Whether the "high worth individual" exemptions will still apply under any new rules is another matter and I guess we'll have to wait and see.[/quote]
I have posted this photo before. This is my dh on his arrival in China and ready to be processed for quarantine. PPE provided feee of charge by the Chinese govt!

If it means opening schools sooner then yes please!

(and yes they should have done this months ago it's a no brainer!)

@freedomisnow

I believe that this is the only way forward for the forcible future. The life will get back to normal in the U.K.

"Forcible future" 🤣 that's one accurate freudian slip 😂

@sashagabadon

Yes it does seem to cast a shadow over the vaccination program and doesn’t give much hope to countries that have closed their borders like Australia, when even vaccination isn’t going to free them. I am hoping this is just a warning shot across the bows to all those over 50 year olds in the media last week booking their hols and mp’s like Jeremy hunt telling everyone about his summer trip to France. I hope so anyway

I wouldn’t book right now I agree

@JS87

In China there are cameras outside the hotel rooms. If you step outside into the corridor they add another week onto your quarantine.

Tough cookies!

The principle is great, but I can't see how on earth you police Brits who think that their holiday in the sun is their "human right" and that they simply can't go on without a "break". That's the only people this is targetting....... slebs "working" in Dubai and the Maldives will just fly in by private jet, and there will be so many exceptions that it will end up like the support bubble rules - a complete fucking joke that everyone adapts to suit themselves.

I don't think this is a good idea or is going to work.

Good. Long overdue but good. We are far too lax.

Good, better late than never. People don’t need holidays and if more business is done remotely the better for the environment anyway.

The charge for the hotel needs to be high otherwise people will not stop travelling.

Ridiculously late but perhaps better late than never - as long as it's done properly as it has been in some fortunate countries.

Just heard on radio it’s from countries with dangerous variant - pretty sure variants can travel in from anywhere

@Iamclearlyamug agree !
Thankyou. You too !

@MarshaBradyo

Just heard on radio it’s from countries with dangerous variant - pretty sure variants can travel in from anywhere

And new variants can develop anywhere...

If it’s true it’s nuts.

More holes than a colander

I think unfortunately we do need it now until such times as infection rates are a lot lower and many more vaccinations have been done. At that point it should be easier to run test and track more effectively and shut down any sources of new strains quickly.

Yes it will be bad for the travel industry, but let's face it they won't be getting much business over the next few months anyway, so do it properly and then at some point we can open up properly rather than stop and start as it is at the minute.

@MarshaBradyo

Just heard on radio it’s from countries with dangerous variant - pretty sure variants can travel in from anywhere

So it sounds like another half hearted policy with so many loopholes....

It would need to be from everywhere to be effective surely?