The measure, which applies to both residents and visitors, with a few exceptions.
London, United Kingdom:
Britain introduced a two-week quarantine on Monday for most people arriving from abroad to try to limit the spread of the coronavirus, a move strongly condemned by the struggling aviation industry.
The measure, which applies to residents and visitors with a few exceptions, aims to prevent a second wave of contagion from abroad.
But critics wonder why Britain, which has been the hardest hit by COVID-19 in Europe and which is only gradually releasing the lockout, is causing more suffering to hotels and airlines by reducing travel from from countries with fewer virus cases.
British Airways and low-cost airlines EasyJet and Ryanair have launched joint legal proceedings against the government for what they have called a “disproportionate and unfair” measure.
Ryanair chief Michael O’Leary told Sky News on Monday that the plan was “unnecessary” and unworkable, and said it “would devastate thousands of jobs in British tourism”.
London Heathrow chief executive John Holland-Kaye told City AM that this could result in the potential loss of 25,000 jobs at its airport – a third of the staff.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the new rules make sense because “the proportion of infections from abroad is increasing” as Britain’s workload decreases.
“We have to take an approach that starts with caution,” he told Sky News.
To enter Britain by plane, train, road or sea, travelers must provide details of their journey and the address where they will self-isolate.
The way in which quarantine will be implemented differs from country to country in the UK, and measures will be assessed every three weeks.
Exceptions are made in several cases – notably for truck drivers, “essential” health workers and people from Ireland who have been there for at least two weeks.
The English authorities will carry out spot checks and those who break the rules could be fined 1,000 pounds ($ 1,250 / 1,125 euros) or prosecuted.
Travel corridor hopes
Interior Minister Priti Patel told skeptical parliamentarians last week that the measure was “backed by science, backed by the public, and essential for saving lives”.
The government is moving forward with a gradual easing of the foreclosure that will see retail reopening on June 15, and restaurants and bars will begin offering limited service in early July.
But the devastated hotel sector relies heavily on tourists, and business leaders fear quarantine will mean that a large part of the summer season will be lost.
It comes after Italy, which was hit hard, reopened its borders last week and other European states have followed suit.
The government of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is trying to organize “travel corridors” with countries like France and Spain which could see them lift their quarantine requests.
But officials would give themselves until the end of June to conclude these deals – and the airlines behind the lawsuit say they can’t wait that long.
“These measures are disproportionate and unfair to British citizens as well as to international visitors arriving in the United Kingdom,” the airlines said in a joint statement.
The quarantine “will have a devastating effect on (the British tourism industry) and will destroy thousands of jobs in this unprecedented crisis,” they said.
Britain’s official death toll of 40,542 lags only that of the United States.
(With the exception of the title, this story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
