Matt Hancock outlines £1,750 quarantine plan for UK residents
When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters.Sometimes they’ll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer.Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights.You can unsubscribe at any time.
From Monday, February 15, anyone travelling to the UK from a country on the UK’s travel ban list will be required to quarantine in a government-approved facility for 10 days. The Government initially came under fire for failing to secure a single hotel for the rollout. But today Matt Hancock told MPs that 16 hotels had now been confirmed, with more than 4,000 rooms available for UK residents returning from red list countries.
He added there will be new fines for international arrivals who fail to take COVID-19 tests before travelling
Those who lie on their passenger locator forms could face up to 10 years of jail, indicating the seriousness of the crime.
The Health Secretary added there will be a £1,000 penalty “for any international arrival who fails to take a mandatory test”.
Speaking to the Commons today, Mr Hancock said: “We’re setting up a new system of hotel quarantine for UK and Irish residents who’ve been in red list countries in the last 10 days. In short, this means that any returning residents from these countries will have to quarantine in an assigned hotel room for 10 days from the time of arrival.
READ MORE: Britons forced to fork out £1,750 per person for quarantine package
“Before they travel, they’ll have to book through an online platform and pay for a quarantine package costing £1,750 for an individual travelling alone which includes the hotel, transport and testing. This booking system will go live on Thursday when we’ll also publish the full detailed guidance.
“Passengers will only be able to enter the UK through a small number of ports that currently account for the vast majority of passenger arrivals.
“When they arrive, they’ll be escorted to a designated hotel which will be closed to guests who aren’t quarantining, for 10 days or for longer if they test positive for Covid-19 during their stay.
“We’ve contracted 16 hotels for an initial 4,600 rooms and we will secure more as they are needed.
“People will need to remain in their rooms and of course will not be allowed to mix with other guests and there will be visible security in place to ensure compliance alongside necessary support, so even as we protect public health we can look after the people in our care.”
Where are the 16 UK quarantine hotels?
Matt Hancock said 16 firms would be working with the Government to provide these venues.
He said the relevant information had been released but many people are now asking which hotels have signed up to the scheme.
Express.co.uk will update this article when the information has been announced.
The UK’s will be required for anyone returning from one of the 33 countries on the UK red list. Most of these countries are located in South America and southern Africa. where the new strain was discovered.
The full list includes:
- Angola
- Argentina
- Bolivia
- Botswana
- Brazil
- Burundi
- Cape Verde
- Chile
- Colombia
- Democratic Republic of Congo
- Ecuador
- Eswatini
- French Guiana
- Guyana
- Lesotho
- Malawi
- Mauritius
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Portugal (including Madeira and the Azores)
- Rwanda
- Seychelles
- South Africa
- Suriname
- Tanzania
- Uruguay
- UAE
- Venezuela
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
Source: Read Full Article