Covid-19: UK announces up to 10,000 pound fine, 10-year jail time for violators

London - Travellers from 'red list' countries, including UAE, to undergo hotel quarantine from February 15.

By AFP

Published: Wed 10 Feb 2021, 5:31 PM

Last updated: Wed 10 Feb 2021, 6:15 PM

Britain has announced tough new measures to curb the spread of coronavirus variants from abroad, including steep fines and even jail time for those who break the rules.

The country has been one of the worst affected in the global health crisis, with some 113,000 deaths, and is banking on a mass vaccination drive to cut infection rates.

Also read: Covid-19: Emirates to resume Dubai flights from select UK cities

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But fears have grown over new variants of the virus, including a South African strain that may be more resistant to new vaccines.

Now, travellers who already have to show evidence of a negative test 72 hours before their trip, will have to take two Covid tests during a mandatory 10-day quarantine period.

The tests will have to be taken on days two and eight of self-isolation after arrival, with any positive result adding 10 more days to the confinement.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock told parliament that British or Irish residents arriving from 33 countries deemed high risk of new variants will have to stay in one of 16 designated hotels in England.

Travellers will have to stay in their rooms, have meals delivered to them and pay out their own pocket. The charge for a single adult will be less than £1,750 (Dh6,400).

High-risk countries include South Africa and all South American nations. All travel from there is currently banned for non-British residents.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said earlier on Monday that he was confident that all vaccines being used against the strain were “effective in delivering a high degree of protection against serious illness and death”.

The Scottish government announced a similar “managed isolation” scheme, with 1,300 rooms at six designated hotels. Both come into effect from Monday.

Hancock told MPs he made “no apologies” for the tougher measures, which critics have said come too late to restrict the spread of new variants and do not go far enough.

But the scale of the sanctions indicated the threat the government believes new variants pose to its vaccination programme, which has so far seen some 12.2 million people receive jabs.

Anyone refusing to take tests risks a fine of between £1,000 and £2,000, while those who do not self-isolate could have to pay between £5,000 and £10,000.

Travellers found to have given false information about being in a “red list” country 10 days before travel could receive up to 10 years in prison.

“People who flout these rules are putting us all at risk,” Hancock said.

“Passenger carriers will have a duty in law to make sure that passengers have signed up for these new arrangements before they travel and will be fined if they don’t.”

The restrictions will be eased “as practicable and as soon as is safe”, he added.

The government has so far reserved 4,600 rooms for hotel quarantine under the programme, and said it would book more if necessary.

Britain has been under lockdown since early January to combat a surge in cases that have pushed health services to breaking point.

The government has set a target of vaccinating 15 million of the most vulnerable before February 15, which could pave the way for a lifting of restrictions.

How the rules will be enforced:

> Passengers must show proof of a negative test in the 3 days before departure

> They must complete a passenger locator form in the 2 days before arriving in the UK

> Carriers must check both the above rules for every passenger before they board the plane

> Passengers will be checked again by frontline airport staff and Border Force upon arrival – passengers arriving without a completed form and negative test face a £500 fine and the airline faces a £2,000 fine

> If travellers have been in a red-listed country in the past 10 days, they will be denied entry to the UK unless they have a residency right

> All passengers must self-isolate at the place they are staying for 10 days after they arrive – there will be spot checks to make sure people are self-isolating and they may be referred for police action including a fine of up to £10,000 (Source: www.gov.uk)

AFP

Published: Wed 10 Feb 2021, 5:31 PM

Last updated: Wed 10 Feb 2021, 6:15 PM