U.K. Imposes 14-Day Quarantine on Travelers From France and Netherlands
- 4 years ago
Hundreds of thousands of British tourists face being forced to quarantine for two weeks on their return home after the government added France, the Netherlands and Malta to its list of virus trouble-spot destinations.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s administration warned Britons against all non-essential travel to these countries and said the quarantine requirement would come into force from 4am Saturday.
The measures, to deal with a surge in Covid-19 infections, are likely to spark a chaotic scramble for tickets on flights, trains and car ferries for 160,000 Britons currently holidaying in France. The French government said the decision was regrettable and warned it would lead to reciprocal action.
“The biggest priority has to be to protect our hard-won gains in getting the virus under control and not re-importing it as people return home,” U.K. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps told Times Radio on Friday. “It’s a public health issue we simply can’t turn our backs on.”
The extension of quarantine requirements reflects growing concern in Johnson’s team over the resurgence of the virus in Europe and parts of the U.K. at a time when the government is trying to drag the country’s badly damaged economy out of recession.
Johnson announced late Thursday he will allow more sectors of the economy in England to re-open from Saturday, including theaters, casinos and beauty parlors. But penalties for people who flout the rules will be increased, with maximum fines for repeat offenders rising to a maximum of 3,200 pounds ($4,180). More localized lockdowns may be imposed to deal with flare-ups.
“Most people in this country are following the rules and doing their bit to control the virus, but we must remain focused and we cannot be complacent,” Johnson said in an emailed statement. “That is why we are strengthening the enforcement powers available to use against those who repeatedly flout the rules.”
Along with cracking down on the virus, the government’s urgent priority is rescuing the economy. Figures this week showed the U.K. suffering the hardest economic slump in Europe, with GDP shrinking 20.4% in the second quarter, the most since records began in 1955.
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Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s administration warned Britons against all non-essential travel to these countries and said the quarantine requirement would come into force from 4am Saturday.
The measures, to deal with a surge in Covid-19 infections, are likely to spark a chaotic scramble for tickets on flights, trains and car ferries for 160,000 Britons currently holidaying in France. The French government said the decision was regrettable and warned it would lead to reciprocal action.
“The biggest priority has to be to protect our hard-won gains in getting the virus under control and not re-importing it as people return home,” U.K. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps told Times Radio on Friday. “It’s a public health issue we simply can’t turn our backs on.”
The extension of quarantine requirements reflects growing concern in Johnson’s team over the resurgence of the virus in Europe and parts of the U.K. at a time when the government is trying to drag the country’s badly damaged economy out of recession.
Johnson announced late Thursday he will allow more sectors of the economy in England to re-open from Saturday, including theaters, casinos and beauty parlors. But penalties for people who flout the rules will be increased, with maximum fines for repeat offenders rising to a maximum of 3,200 pounds ($4,180). More localized lockdowns may be imposed to deal with flare-ups.
“Most people in this country are following the rules and doing their bit to control the virus, but we must remain focused and we cannot be complacent,” Johnson said in an emailed statement. “That is why we are strengthening the enforcement powers available to use against those who repeatedly flout the rules.”
Along with cracking down on the virus, the government’s urgent priority is rescuing the economy. Figures this week showed the U.K. suffering the hardest economic slump in Europe, with GDP shrinking 20.4% in the second quarter, the most since records began in 1955.
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