14-Day Coronavirus Quarantine Period Announced
The UK Government has published its roadmap for how and when the UK will adjust its response to the COVID-19 crisis. Measures to manage the risk of coronavirus transmission include restrictions on international travellers, including the introduction of a requirement for new arrivals to self-isolate in their accommodation for fourteen days on arrival into the UK.
Coronavirus UK Travel Restrictions
In its Guidance document, ‘OUR PLAN TO REBUILD:The UK Government’s COVID-19 recovery strategy’ published today, the Government seeks to address the risk of transmission being reintroduced from abroad.
In order to keep the overall levels of infection down, the Government has decided to introduce a series of measures and restrictions at the UK border.
Foremost amongst the measures are the introduction of a requirement for all international arrivals to provide both their contact details and information as to where they will be accommodated during their stay in the UK.
At the same time, the Government has announced that it will require all international arrivals not on a short list of exemptions to self-isolate in their accommodation for fourteen days on arrival into the UK.
Where international travellers are unable to demonstrate where they will self-isolate, they will be required to do so in accommodation arranged by the Government.
The measures will apply to both foreign nationals and to UK holidaymakers returning from non-exempt destinations, meaning that even a short holiday to the majority of destinations overseas will be followed by two weeks in self-isolation.
Exemptions from the 14-day Self-Isolation Period
Some exemptions to these measures will be put in place to provide for continued security of supply into the UK, so as not to impede work supporting national security or critical infrastructure and to meet the UK’s international obligations.
All journeys within the Common Travel Area (the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man and the Republic of Ireland) will be exempt from these measures.
For further information see: Who Is Exempt from the 14 Day Coronavirus Quarantine Period?
Travel Restrictions Commencement Date
It is not presently clear when these international travel measures will come into force, with the Government stating that the restrictions will be introduced ‘as soon as possible’.
It is understood that further guidance on both the measures and the list of exemptions will be published shortly.
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