We might not be far from introducing “quarantine hotels“, where travellers will be expected to pay to isolate in a monitored hotel.
The introduction of quarantine hotels (Also known as “COVID hotels“) will be discussed by senior ministers today.
According to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, immediate measures/restrictions have to be taken to stop the country’s latest coronavirus variant.
Information from Government sources suggests that the idea of completely closing the border is currently out of the picture. However, the implementation of COVID hotels might just be the tighter measure Boris Johnson is looking for.
Several sources have also revealed that Boris Johnson is gradually being ‘more swayed’ by calls for drastic action to avoid jeopardising the vaccine rollout, which means that the decision to introduce COVID hotels is not unlikely.
If the reported sources are accurate, this would see all arrivals into UK airports – including Brits returning home – staying in quarantine hotels & paying for 10 whole days. The travellers staying in the hotel will also not be allowed to leave until they produce a negative test result.
The quarantine hotels will be based on the Australian model and will be introduced at major airports, where officials can swiftly order all arrivals from abroad to isolate.
This brings in questions of how families that are affected by the pandemic will afford to pay for 10-day monitored stay at the COVID hotel.
Unfortunately, questions like these are still up in the air until the new rule’s specifics are revealed.
Officials remain confident that they can find the capacity to bring the quarantine hotels to accommodate all arrivals – which is currently around 10,000 a day. In addition, it is also strongly believed that the new rule would soften the blow from the new COVID variant.
Regardless, it is no doubt that the introduction of quarantine hotels will be a disastrous blow for both tourists and citizens alike.
Boris Johnson will discuss proposals on the quarantine hotels with ministers later, but a decision may not be announced until Wednesday.
Most foreign nationals from high-risk countries are already denied UK entry, so the new rules (that are yet to be implemented) will mainly affect returning UK citizens and residents.
All arrivals to the UK need to have tested negative for Covid-19 within the 72 hours before they set off to be allowed entry. Then they still have to quarantine for up to 10 days, for which they must pay for as well.
The Prime Minister will also be at a meeting of the Covid operations committee, attended by senior ministers, to discuss the available options.
Make sure you follow Travel Center for all the latest updates on the COVID hotels.
