Hotel quarantine for ‘red list’ countries imposed from February 15

Travellers will be forced to self-isolate for 10 days in approved accommodation to ensure they follow the rules.

From February 15, Brits arriving in the UK from countries on the “red list” will be have to quarantine in a Government-approved hotel.

Hotel quarantine from February 15

Travellers will be forced to self-isolate for 10 days in approved accommodation to ensure they follow the rules. The rule was originally announced last week following the discovery of new Covid variants in South Africa and Brazil.

When it was announced on January 27, Home Secretary Priti Patel said that more details would be given later that week.

Then at a No 10 press conference on Wednesday, the Prime Minister said that the Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, would be making an announcement the next day, only to be corrected by Downing Street which said no statement was planned. Now, we know that when UK residents return from certain destinations they will be legally obliged to go into hotel quarantine from February 15.

The extensive red list of countries now includes Dubai, South Africa, Brazil and dozens of others across the globe.

A spokesman from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said: “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. 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.”

On Thursday evening, the DHSC issued a memo to hotels near air and sea ports requesting proposals on how they can provide quarantine facilities before formal contracts are awarded. Further details will be released next week on how passengers can book into the designated hotels.

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