(CNN) – Britons arriving home from 22 “high risk” countries will have to go through a 10-day quarantine in hotels at their own expense, while the UK tightens border controls to try to contain one of Covid-19’s worst outbreaks. of the world.
In announcing the measure, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that the new stricter rules would apply to travelers from “red list countries, where we are particularly concerned with new variants”.
Non-UK residents will be denied entry, while British citizens and permanent residents will be picked up directly at the airport and transferred to government-provided accommodation, where their mandatory stay will begin.
Expenses for meals and hotels in what is one of the most expensive cities in the world can cost travelers more than $ 2,000 for a 10-day quarantine.
The announcement came a day after the UK reached the terrible 100,000 deaths from coronavirus yesterday – the first country in Europe to do so.
Johnson also said that travelers will be asked about the purpose of the trip. “I want to make it clear that, according to the regulations for staying at home, it is illegal to leave home to travel abroad for leisure purposes and we will do this in ports and airports by asking people why they are leaving and instructing them to return to home if they don’t have a valid reason to travel, “he said.
UK Interior Secretary Priti Patel later announced that people wishing to travel outside the UK will first have to make a statement proving that their trip is essential.
It comes in addition to the January 18 announcement that all travelers entering the UK, including British citizens, must present a negative Covid test done 72 hours after arrival. Before that date, borders were opened without testing requirements.
The full list of the 22 countries on the “red list” has not yet been announced, but will include South Africa, Portugal and South American nations.
The new policy may take weeks to take effect, as the new accommodations are not yet ready. Johnson said, “The Department of Health and Welfare is working to establish these facilities as soon as possible.”
The policy was criticized by Nick Thomas-Symonds, a senior legislator for the opposition Labor Party, who said the ad was “a little too late” and called for “comprehensive hotel quarantine”.
Gloria Guevara, president and CEO of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), responded to the UK government’s latest proposal in a statement.
“We firmly believe that testing on departure and arrival for all travelers is the only way to stop the spread of the virus on their tracks, while allowing passengers with a negative test to travel safely and restore international mobility,” she said. .
“The government must be transparent about the metrics used to label a country as ‘high risk,'” she added. “It is also vital to have a clear exit strategy and more details on testing in the arrival policy.”