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The UK Has Only Just Started Doing Mandatory Hotel Quarantine For International Arrivals

The UK Has Only Just Started Doing Mandatory Hotel Quarantine For International Arrivals

A year after the pandemic began, the UK is trying to monitor people coming in from high-risk countries.

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie

The UK has started its hotel quarantine system for international arrivals from high-risk countries.

From an Australian perspective, it's baffling to think the program has only just started considering we're more than a year into the coronavirus pandemic.

Starting from today (February 15), people touching down from 33 countries on the Covid-19 travel ban list will have to isolate in a government-approved facility for 10 days.

But, they will only quarantine if they were in the red-listed country up to 10 days before travelling to Britain.

PA

People coming from any other country are allowed to enter the UK and complete a 10-day quarantine at their home or homestay as long as they return a negative PCR test up to 72 hours before they hop on a flight, ferry, train or bus.

Scotland is the only country that is mirroring Australia by making every arriving international traveller go into forced hotel quarantine.

UK authorities were forced to introduce stricter measures due to the mutations of Covid-19.

As people across Britain continue to get vaccinated against the coronavirus, government officials believed mandatory quarantine was necessary to keep track of everyone.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said in a statement: "Throughout the pandemic, the government has put in place proportionate measures, informed by the advice of scientists, and that has led to some of the toughest border regimes in the world.

"It is currently illegal to go on holiday, and passengers travelling to the UK must provide proof of a negative test before they travel, and self-isolate on arrival.

PA

"With increased police presence at airports and more physical checks at addresses to make sure people are self-isolating, we are taking decisive action.

"We are now working at pace to secure the facilities we need to roll out managed quarantine for British nationals returning home from the most high risk countries, and are rightly engaging with representatives from the hospitality, maritime and aviation industry, and learning from our friends around the world.

"In the face of new variants, it is important that the government continues to take the necessary steps to protect people and save lives."

People heading into the mandatory hotel quarantine must ensure they have booked a room via a private travel company and it will cost AUD$3,126 for the 10 days. That cost goes up with additional guests or children.

Arrivals will have to undergo two Covid-19 tests on the second and eighth day of the 10-day quarantine.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: News