Quarantine

[brad465]

Perth has now had to go into lockdown (albeit only 5 days at the moment), as a result of a security guard associated with quarantine facilities testing positive:

Covid: Australian city of Perth goes into snap lockdown after guard tests positive

Schools, bars and gyms close in the Australian city after a guard at a quarantine hotel tests positive.

www.bbc.co.uk

The Australian city of Perth is entering a snap five-day lockdown after a security guard working at a quarantine hotel tested positive for coronavirus.

Western Australia - the state of which Perth is the capital - had not had a case of locally acquired coronavirus for 10 months.

The lockdown is due to begin at 18:00 (10:00 GMT) and run until Friday night.

Schools, restaurants, bars, cinemas and gyms have been ordered to close.

Only essential travel will be allowed and masks must be worn.

People in the city of two million - along with people living in the nearby Peel and South West regions - must stay at home, except for essential work, healthcare, food shopping or exercise, said Western Australia state Premier Mark McGowan.

A scheduled return of schools on Monday has also been delayed by a week.

There are many who praise Australia's handling, but I really don't think their approach is a good example, which is essentially a half-baked attempt at New Zealand's approach. They've had Melbourne in a 100+ day lockdown over their winter, Sydney was recently subject to restrictions and travel restrictions to other states, and even the Australian open is having limited attendance.

 

[SouthEastBuses]

Perth has now had to go into lockdown (albeit only 5 days at the moment), as a result of a security guard associated with quarantine facilities testing positive:

Covid: Australian city of Perth goes into snap lockdown after guard tests positive

Schools, bars and gyms close in the Australian city after a guard at a quarantine hotel tests positive.

www.bbc.co.uk

There are many who praise Australia's handling, but I really don't think their approach is a good example, which is essentially a half-baked attempt at New Zealand's approach. They've had Melbourne in a 100+ day lockdown over their winter, Sydney was recently subject to restrictions and travel restrictions to other states, and even the Australian open is having limited attendance.

Not to mention, Brisbane also had a 3 day lockdown back at the beginning of this month! And back in November (?), there was also a very short lockdown in Adelaide too!

 

[brad465]

The latest in trying to get tough on new variants:

Covid-19: Travellers face £1,750 cost for England quarantine hotels

People arriving in England from Covid hotspots also face £10,000 fines or jail if they break the rules.

www.bbc.co.uk

Fines of up to £10,000 and 10-year jail sentences threatened for people breaking travel rules designed to keep emerging variants out of UK

There are several flaws I can see with this, maybe around enforcement but also the jail and court space probably doesn't exist. Also, what happens if another new variant emerges here in "home-grown" fashion?

 

[Yew]

Who cares about practicality, enforceability or effectiveness; what matters is seeming 'tough' on COVID.

 

[6862]

There are several flaws I can see with this, maybe around enforcement but also the jail and court space probably doesn't exist. Also, what happens if another new variant emerges here in "home-grown" fashion?

We could imprison the whole population in their homes? Oh wait, that sounds familiar, haven't we already shown that works really well?

 

[Bantamzen]

The latest in trying to get tough on new variants:

Covid-19: Travellers face £1,750 cost for England quarantine hotels

People arriving in England from Covid hotspots also face £10,000 fines or jail if they break the rules.

www.bbc.co.uk

There are several flaws I can see with this, maybe around enforcement but also the jail and court space probably doesn't exist. Also, what happens if another new variant emerges here in "home-grown" fashion?

This has the distinct feeling of one desperate final attempt to do something...

"We have to do something..."
"Ummm, let's...ermmm, increase the fines, annnnddd maybe threaten people with longer jail sentences than murderers & rapists...."
"This is something..."
"We have to do this...."

I think this government is out of ideas, might as well just get things going. Then let's call an election & get the opposition in. Oh.......

 

[Luke McDonnell]

If not self isolating becomes an imprisonable offence would this have implications as far as DBS and criminal records are concerned (even if the threat of a custodial sentence is never used)? At the moment, AFAIK all Covid related offences are non recordable offences which means that like a speeding offence even if it went to court it would not be recordable but what happens if it comes imprisonable if it is a possible maximum sentence of 10 years that is up there with some pretty serious offences (I think even death by dangerous driving only had maximum 10 years). As these are only temporary laws if you did get a criminal record would the DBS be spent or wiped after the end of the emergency powers does that have to be the case?

 

[Ediswan]

Fines/prison is only proposed for those who lie on the passenger locator form about having recently been in a red zone country.

 

[MikeWM]

Any bets on how many days/weeks until all countries are classified as 'red zone' countries?

 

[Mag_seven]

Any bets on how many days/weeks until all countries are classified as 'red zone' countries?

Yes you can see the headlines now - "Put all countries on the red list, Sage scientist demands"

 

[brad465]

This has the distinct feeling of one desperate final attempt to do something...

"We have to do something..."
"Ummm, let's...ermmm, increase the fines, annnnddd maybe threaten people with longer jail sentences than murderers & rapists...."
"This is something..."
"We have to do this...."

I think this government is out of ideas, might as well just get things going. Then let's call an election & get the opposition in. Oh.......

Yes one wonder's at what point the ideas they come out with end up backfiring on them?

 

[Bantamzen]

Yes you can see the headlines now - "Put all countries on the red list, Sage scientist demands"

Labour are already in that mode...

Yes one wonder's at what point the ideas they come out with end up backfiring on them?

Hopefully very soon.

 

[brad465]

Labour are already in that mode...


Hopefully very soon.

I'm thinking any new policy introduced during good weather will backfire, and in any case the tourism and aviation industries will not stop screaming for relaxations until they're made as the tourist season beckons.

 

[Bantamzen]

I'm thinking any new policy introduced during good weather will backfire, and in any case the tourism and aviation industries will not stop screaming for relaxations until they're made as the tourist season beckons.

Well apparently Tui have already said they expect to be running around 80% of their usual capacity this summer, so perhaps they are in their own way sending a message to the government.

 

[Trackman]

Well apparently Tui have already said they expect to be running around 80% of their usual capacity this summer, so perhaps they are in their own way sending a message to the government.

I wouldn't go abroad this summer if they paid me and gave me a gold clock with what I've been through.

 

[joncombe]

Well apparently Tui have already said they expect to be running around 80% of their usual capacity this summer, so perhaps they are in their own way sending a message to the government.

Yes I did look at their website and policies as I was almost tempted to book. Unfortunately their cover doesn't cover the need to quarantine at the UK end, only if you end up having to quarantine when overseas. At £1750 if you have to quarantine, I think I'll pass.

I am surprised they got that many bookings with that in place although I suppose it was only announced today so I wonder if many will now cancel?

 

[Bantamzen]

I wouldn't go abroad this summer if they paid me and gave me a gold clock with what I've been through.

Oh I'll be on a flight south as soon as I blumming can.

Yes I did look at their website and policies as I was almost tempted to book. Unfortunately their cover doesn't cover the need to quarantine at the UK end, only if you end up having to quarantine when overseas. At £1750 if you have to quarantine, I think I'll pass.

I am surprised they got that many bookings with that in place although I suppose it was only announced today so I wonder if many will now cancel?

Knowing this government, that scheme won't last long. Didn't they say you had to pay after the quarantine? And it is only a couple of dozen countries, so its not necessarily going to impact the hider holiday industry.

 

[joncombe]

And it is only a couple of dozen countries

At the moment. Big risk to potentially end up with a close to £1750 bill on the way back especially given how quickly the various "travel corridors" were changed last year (though it did amuse me that Grant Shapps got caught out by it).

 

[brad465]

Oh I'll be on a flight south as soon as I blumming can.


Knowing this government, that scheme won't last long. Didn't they say you had to pay after the quarantine? And it is only a couple of dozen countries, so its not necessarily going to impact the hider holiday industry.

Given there was a time where exemptions were made for "high value business travellers" (the most disgusting form of supporting rich people possible), they'll be making exemptions somewhere before long.

 

[Mag_seven]

At the moment. Big risk to potentially end up with a close to £1750 bill on the way back especially given how quickly the various "travel corridors" were changed last year (though it did amuse me that Grant Shapps got caught out by it).

I'd rather hope that once we are all vaccinated all this border nonsense will stop. Its unstainable unless we want to kill off our tourism industry entirely.

 

[Bantamzen]

At the moment. Big risk to potentially end up with a close to £1750 bill on the way back especially given how quickly the various "travel corridors" were changed last year (though it did amuse me that Grant Shapps got caught out by it).

Like I say though, can't pay for it if you don't have it....

Given there was a time where exemptions were made for "high value business travellers" (the most disgusting form of supporting rich people possible), they'll be making exemptions somewhere before long.

I've got a feeling there are already exemptions. But even if there are not, there soon will be. As I say, this is a bit of political posturing more than a solution.

 

[joncombe]

I'd rather hope that once we are all vaccinated all this border nonsense will stop. Its unstainable unless we want to kill off our tourism industry entirely.

I hope so too. But I very much doubt that it will. I'd love to be wrong about it though, I really would (especially as I've still got trips I had to postpone from last summer to this summer I really don't want to have to try and postpone or cancel again).

 

[Mag_seven]

I hope so too. But I very much doubt that it will. I'd love to be wrong about it though, I really would (especially as I've still got trips I had to postpone from last summer to this summer I really don't want to have to try and postpone or cancel again).

We shall have to wait and see but I suspect these measures are only really sustainable for the very small (relatively speaking) numbers of passengers travelling into the country at the moment for legally permitted reasons (of which tourism isn't one).

 

[NorthOxonian]

I'd rather hope that once we are all vaccinated all this border nonsense will stop. Its unstainable unless we want to kill off our tourism industry entirely.

Sadly I think the border nonsense will be irritatingly persistent. Even after all of our domestic regulations are eased, they'll still claim the risk of new variants that could evade vaccines is too great.

 

[Trackman]

Oh I'll be on a flight south as soon as I blumming can.

By all means do, I would insure myself to the hilt and plan various 'escape routes' in case things go pear shaped.

 

[takno]

Hilarious to watch the Scottish Government indulging in further foot-stamping idiocy on the topic by extending it to all international arrivals, thus ensuring that everybody will just return via England. When this was pointed out to them, they sulkily said that they thought England ought to do it as well. The whole "look at us, we're a proper national government and everything" shtick gets old fast.

 

[packermac]

Hilarious to watch the Scottish Government indulging in further foot-stamping idiocy on the topic by extending it to all international arrivals, thus ensuring that everybody will just return via England. When this was pointed out to them, they sulkily said that they thought England ought to do it as well. The whole "look at us, we're a proper national government and everything" shtick gets old fast.

Not often I find myself agreeing with that obnoxious woman, but in this instance I agree with her. UK Government should not only make all quarantine but should have introduced it way earlier.

 

[takno]

Not often I find myself agreeing with that obnoxious woman, but in this instance I agree with her. UK Government should not only make all quarantine but should have introduced it way earlier.

Okay, we get it - you don't personally want to go abroad and are keen to extend unpleasant measures around as many people who are not you as possible. Some of us are trying to manage multi-national teams, and could do with travelling to some other perfectly safe countries without having 10 days of overpriced 3-start discomfort to look forward to on our return. There might have been an argument for the government doing this in January last year if they were extremely forward-thinking, but doing it for more than a very select few countries at any point since has been pointless.

 

[packermac]

Okay, we get it - you don't personally want to go abroad and are keen to extend unpleasant measures around as many people who are not you as possible. Some of us are trying to manage multi-national teams, and could do with travelling to some other perfectly safe countries without having 10 days of overpriced 3-start discomfort to look forward to on our return. There might have been an argument for the government doing this in January last year if they were extremely forward-thinking, but doing it for more than a very select few countries at any point since has been pointless.

Well as it sounds like you have a business need to travel the cost will surely be met by the contract or your employer. I assume you are currently managing them via some internet means which could continue to be undertaken from a hotel room when you return.

 

[PeterY]

I assume for your £1,750 you get some decent 3 course meals, 3 times a day. Sadly I don't think so.

Probably plenty of fire alarms going off when someone wants a ciggie .