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HEALTH-VIRUS-BRITAIN
UK’s PM cautious on lockdown easing as new hotel regime starts
LONDON, Feb 15, 2021 (BSS/AFP) – Britain intends to seek a “cautious but
irreversible” ending of strict coronavirus restrictions, Prime Minister Boris
Johnson said Monday as his government introduced hotel quarantine stays for
arrivals from “high risk” nations.
Britain, with more than 117,000 deaths from Covid-19, is one of the worst-
hit countries in the world by the pandemic. Johnson has come under criticism
for acting too quickly to relax measures and too slowly to re-impose them in
recent months.
But lockdown-sceptical MPs are pressing for an accelerated exit after
Britain over the weekend surpassed its target to vaccinate 15 million of the
most vulnerable people with a first vaccine jab.
Speaking at a health clinic in southeast London, Johnson said the
government needed to be “very prudent” as it reviewed a third stay-at-home
order in England that has shut down schools, non-essential businesses and
hospitality venues since early January.
“What we wanted to see is progress that is cautious but irreversible, and
I think that’s what the public and people up and down the country will want
to see,” Johnson said.
The government is due to set out a roadmap to relax the measures in
England on February 22, and has indicated schools could reopen on March 8.
However, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said there is “some way to go”
before lockdown can be eased, stressing the government was awaiting key data
on how successfully the vaccines reduce transmission.
But over the weekend, more than 60 MPs from the ruling Conservatives
signed a letter calling for Johnson to commit to a firm timetable ending with
the lifting of all legal controls by the end of April.
Once enough people are inoculated, “it’s time for us to take a bold stride
into life and start to recover our society and our humanity”, lawmaker Steve
Baker told Talkradio on Monday.
– Red list –
While eyeing a possible route out of lockdown, the government is also
tightening the borders to guard against emerging variants of the coronavirus
that could undermine the vaccination programme.
The new quarantine policy requires all UK citizens and permanent residents
entering England from 33 “red list” countries to self-isolate at their own
expense in approved hotels for 10 days and take several Covid-19 tests.
Other visitors from the countries, including all South American nations,
South Africa and Portugal, are currently barred from visiting the UK.
Arrivals found to have given false information about being in one of the
countries 10 days before travel could receive up to 10 years in prison —
which has drawn criticism for being excessive.
The government says it has signed contracts with 16 hotels so far,
securing nearly 5,000 rooms near English airports, with a further 58,000
rooms on standby, as it belatedly follows the example of others such as
Australia and New Zealand.
Hancock said the government had resolved initial problems with the new
policy at Heathrow Airport, Britain’s busiest aviation hub.
“We’ve been working with the airport and with the Border Force to make
sure everybody knows the process,” he told Times Radio.
“And it does appear to be going smoothly this morning,” he added.
The 11-night quarantine costs œ1,750 ($2,420, 2,000 euros) for transport,
food, accommodation, security and testing.
Passengers must have a negative Covid-19 test result from within three
days of travel, and book and pay for the package before setting off for
Britain.
They will then take further tests on the second and eighth days of their
stays.
The hotel occupants will be able to leave their rooms only in “very
limited circumstances”, with exercise requiring “special permission” from
staff or security.
Anyone refusing to take tests risks a fine of between œ1,000 and œ2,000,
while those who do not self-isolate could have to pay between œ5,000 and
œ10,000.
BSS/AFP/BZC/2016HRS