TRAVELLERS coming into the UK will be able to break the two-week coronavirus quarantine to pop out for food, attend funerals – and they can use public transport.
Home Secretary Priti Patel announced the full sweep of new travel measures this afternoon which will come into effect on Monday – but people won’t be entirely sentenced to their homes.
The Prime Minister’s spokesman said on the carve-outs for the policy: “There will be a limited set of exemptions just as there was during the nationwide lockdown.
“People are to only leave a property in which they are quarantined if they need urgent medical treatment, support from social services, food or medicine, which they cannot get delivered, or get someone else to bring to them.
“They can leave in an emergency, such a fire or to attend a funeral of a close relative.”
If people break quarantine for any reason other than one of the exemptions they will face fines of up to £1000.
No10 also said the guidance only suggested people quarantining “take private vehicles as much as possible” but it did not bar them from taking public transport.
A handful of groups of people won’t have to quarantine at all if they come into the UK – including fruit pickers, lorry drivers and medical professionals
Ms Patel said today: “To limit the spread of infection, arrivals must self isolate for 14 days, this is the incubation period of coronavirus.
“The Government has deliberately included a limited number of exceptions to self isolation rules to allow essential services and supply chains to continue keeping food on our tables and getting vital medical Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to the front line ”
The plan will see:
- Travellers to the UK will have to quarantine in one specific address for 14 days when they come into the UK
- They will face spot checks and could face £1000 fines if they break them
- But they will be allowed to break the two-week coronavirus quarantine to pop out for food, attend funerals and can use public transport, Downing Street said yesterday.
- Those from the Common Travel Area will be exempt, and the measures will be reviewed every three weeks.
- All arrivals from Monday will have to hand over their contact details
Ms Patel said the Home Office was actively exploring so-called “airbridges” with other countries, allowing people to travel between them quarantine free – and allow Brits to jet off on holiday to safe destinations.
She said: “Across Government and the sector we will continue to explore all options for the future of travel and any international approaches will be bilateral and agreed with other countries concerned.
“And of course we will need to ensure that hose countries are deemed to be safe.”
One senior Tory said: “I understand what they are trying to achieve, and there is obvious public support for not bringing the virus in from abroad.
“But the fact is you cannot do it at scale in this way. The moment you try and make it practical it falls apart.
“If it is not going to be effective, why do it at all?
“The plans are full of loopholes.
“No doubt more professions will be added for exemptions but the average member of the public won’t be allowed to go on their summer break – imagine the outcry that we will face.”
But MPs were hoping for more extensive exceptions by creating “air bridges” with other countries, allowing people to travel between them quarantine free – and allow Brits to jet off on holiday to safe destinations.
Downing Street said yesterday that the quarantine measures are similar to those Brits endured during the first phase of lockdown.
The spokesman added: “As we continue to drive down the domestic infection rate and to reduce the number of daily cases we want to make sure we are not importing the virus from abroad.
“The most devastating thing to happen to the economy would be a second spike.”
It will involve looking at the economic links between nations as well as the wider health picture.
The 14 day quarantine measures, which was the brainchild of Boris Johnson’s under fire aide Dominic Cummings, will not now be as harsh as originally planned.
One senior Tory told the Sun the watering down would allay fears of a second revolt of backbenchers the week after the Cummings scandal, adding: “It’s difficult for the government to have two rows in two weeks with backbenchers.”
