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The U.K. Is Finally Ending Its Mandatory Hotel Quarantines

The United Kingdom has decided to end its hotel quarantine requirement for all incoming travellers after seven months. Grant Shapps is Boris Johnson’s transport secretary. On November 1, the entire rule will be removed.

The original policy, which was introduced as a result of the U.K.’s winter lockdown, required 10 days hotel quarantines to all travellers returning from “red” countries that have high COVID rates. It was eventually abolished. Based on an analysis of similar schemesNew Zealand, and other countries. Residents got three meals each day, and were supervised in exercise. However, they couldn’t order or receive food personally.

While some hotels were less expensive than $80 per night, “guests” had to pay $2,413 each for their accommodation. This money was used to cover food, security and mandatory PCR testing. Aug. saw the increase in fees to $3.156. Deter travel to the “red” list

It wasn’t just the cost that ballooned over time—the destinations involved did too. In February 2003, as the U.K. vaccine program was just starting to pick up speed, there were 33 countries on the red list that were considered “high-risk”. The red list had become a slew of other countries by summer. This included India, Turkey Pakistan, Thailand and the UAE.

Original criminalization Alles “The U.K. government wanted to include hotel quarantine in a traffic light system that would allow for non-essential foreign travel. A country could be designated green for quarantine-free, amber for home quarantine or red to indicate that it requires quarantine. In practice, the scheme was confusing, with changes often announced at short notice—leaving travelers It took me a while to recover.To avoid restrictions on quarantine.

Any disruptions or confusion were not tolerated by the government. Boris Johnson became a British citizen as Britain began its summer vacation. WarningHe would never hesitate to change a country’s status from red to green. A person who pretends to have visited a country on the Red List after travelling back indirect could spend 10 years prison.

Through September end About 200,000 peopleThey were placed in quarantines at hotels.

How were these quarantines? The system was subject to routine complaints within weeks after it went online. Residents blasted poor food quality, lack of fresh air and uncomfortable living conditions. The BBC began broadcasting in August. FootageRecorded by quarantine patients showing mold in their rooms.

Others serious complaints include allegations of Sexual harassment by security guardsand the number of people with disabilities and who are sick. Refusal of important medical treatmentYou can read more. As with the Hotel that was burned, cultural mistakes also have been made. Sorry for serving Muslim guests pork-based food

It was also attacked because of hypocrisy. This summer, VIP delegates to the European soccer championship were allowed an exemption. The government continued to ContinueSimilar exemptions are available for professional soccer players who travel to September’s World Cup qualifying games in countries that have been red-listed.

Hotel quarantine has been lifted following a general relaxation of U.K. travel restrictions and 3 months since the elimination of all domestic restrictions. An earlier move to reduce the testing requirements of vaccinated travelers, who no longer have to purchase PCR test kits, was also confirmed this month. The red list was Slashed to 7 CountriesAll three countries are located in Central or South America. Colombia, Haiti and Venezuela are just a few of the remaining countries on the red list.

The decision by Downing Street to end hotel quarantines could be related to the upcoming COP 26 conference on climate change in Glasgow. For example, the government had previously proposed that it would shorten the quarantine period for delegates and make them more comfortable. Pay their fees. Meanwhile, the minister responsible for organizing the summit is For months, he has been exempted from the rulesIt is. The chances of double-standard political backlash are reduced by the elimination of quarantine requirements.

Critics of the policy are likely to welcome its end. COVID authoritarianismIt is. Don’t let that stop you from exhaling with relief. Transport Secretary Shapps announced the changes. stressedThe scheme will remain in place and be ready for reenactment if another COVID variant is discovered.