France exception to UK quarantine draws questions, criticism
London: British scientists are examining the tougher quarantines Australia and New Zealand have imposed on overseas travellers, amid fierce criticism the UK’s own planned rollout is far too late and contains too many loopholes.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson leaves 10 Downing Street to make a statement on Coronavirus to MPs at Houses of Parliament.Credit:Getty
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that overseas arrivals would soon be asked to self-isolate for 14 days after arriving in the UK, during his nationally televised address on Sunday night, in which he announced a minor easing of the national lockdown.
Britain’s quarantine policy, likely to apply from June 1, will only affect those travelling by plane. The Republic of Ireland will be exempt under the plan but a proposal to exempt France has drawn sharp criticism, as government scientists revealed there was no medical rationale for the special treatment.
The UK’s quarantine policy will not be enforced. However, Professor Andrew Blythe, who sits on the government’s scientific advisory committee (SAGE) and is the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Department of Transport, said he had consulted his counterparts overseas about the issue.
“I was on the telephone to the Chief Scientific Adviser for the Department for Transport for New Zealand this morning because they’ve implemented quarantine as well.
The government's new slogan "Stay Alert, Control the Virus, Save Lives" is seen during Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson's televised message to the nation.Credit:Getty
“They initially implemented it as a voluntary quarantine if you weren’t showing symptoms, they’ve now changed that to a compulsory quarantine in a hotel because a number of backpackers and holidaymakers were breaking quarantine.
“So we are trying to learn from practices around the world.”
Asked if there was any medical difference to the type of passenger who travelled by air versus trains or ferries, Blythe said: “Not that I’m aware of.”
Professor Blythe’s SAGE colleague Professor John Aston, the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Home Office, was unable to explain the science behind other exemptions, including why travellers from France would not have to quarantine, despite the country having one of Europe’s heaviest death tolls.
“Perhaps you could tell us what makes somebody from France different to somebody from other parts of mainland Europe?” Conservative MP Hugh Merriman asked.
“My understanding is that all of those things are subject to finalisation so I think it would be difficult for me to give any specifics on that until the policy is finalised,” Professor Aston said.
Professor Blythe said he had not even been involved in the discussions about exempting France.
The government estimates around 0.5 per cent of people who arrive in the UK are infected with COVID-19. The government has defended its decision not to introduce quarantine for travellers before the lockdown was introduced on March 23, citing scientific advice.
More than 40,000 people travelled from Milan and Spain in mid-March which were both experiencing a surge in their outbreak at the time.
Professor Aston told the hearing that the government's “further restrictions at the border would delay the epidemic by a small amount of time”.
Traveller numbers to the UK have plummeted by around 97 per cent. Professor Aston said implementing quarantine now was “more doable because there are not as many passengers arriving.”
“Many people find it somewhat strange that we haven’t had quarantine in place, therefore, people have been able to come in as they are without any testing … and now we’re going all the way through to quarantine as we ease the lockdown,” Merriman said.