United Kingdom tightens health measures: Passengers entering the country will have to undergo two corona virus tests

UK officials are examining new health measures amid growing concern about the strong impact of a new variant of the corona virus that has emerged in the country. In an effort to slow the spread of the virus, All travelers entering the country from abroad must undergo two Govt-19 tests.

The move, which will be announced in principle this Tuesday, establishes it All people must give a test negative before they leave – this is already mandatory – and then, once on British soil, they must be subjected to two more tests within 2 and 8 days of isolation., As indicated Financial Times.

Passengers They will be responsible for paying for the tests.

These changes represent a strong tightness compared to current protocols. By health recommendation, to date Most people who come to the country have to isolate themselves for ten days at a private address, Without being subjected to any testing.

With the current regime, only those from dangerous countries like South Africa or Brazil Ten days stay in government appointed hotels, They are under close surveillance. The move will take effect next February 15.

Under a plan by Downing Street, British residents returning from more than 30 “high-risk” countries will be relocated by bus to where they will have to spend ten days in solitary confinement.

However, while officials are working to reach an agreement with the hotel industry, there are no confirmed accommodation yet. Despite this, an announcement is expected this Tuesday or Wednesday.

According to department and government officials, Officials are close to signing with the hotel team, which is located just outside London’s Heathrow Airport. They are also optimistic about the possibility of reaching more deals with hostels Less than three kilometers from Manchester, Gatwick, Birmingham and London City airports.

The main source of tension In the government refusal to provide income guarantees to the hotel sector. Hoteliers said authorities would only charge for rooms used to isolate passengers. This, in turn, indicates a loss of income, despite the fact that facilities are only available to those guests. The government plans to contract more hotels than necessary as companies have a greater number of vacant rooms.

For his part, an executive from this department was also critical of the administrator’s short time to implement the new system. “It doesn’t give hotels much time, and if the announcement comes on Wednesday, do it so as not to disturb guests. [existentes] They will need new shelter. ”

“Hoteliers are not ready to do that. If they accept it, it will only be to try to buy good will from the ministers, ”said another person from the department Financial Times.

Those who do the isolation will be given food in their room three times a day, while those who want to smoke outside or want fresh air should be taken away by the security forces.

The cost per hotel night is estimated at around 80 ($ 110). Details on how passengers should book their room will be released by the government in the next few hours.

Until now, the government has opposed the use of new hotel isolation for all travelers to the UK. Therefore, it introduced a specific program for returnees from more than 30 countries included in the “red list”. However, that list will be updated every Thursday and may be expanded in the coming weeks.

This list includes 33 countries South Africa, Portugal, United Arab Emirates and South American countriesr, Scientists have confirmed that new strains of the corona virus are more contagious than the original. Foreign travelers from those regions cannot enter the UK, so they are not affected by this measure of segregation in hotels.

Another concern is that British tourists will not be isolated in their country. Return via Ireland airports from their holidaysThat’s why Dublin is exploring tightening its travel regulations.

Unlike travelers from other parts of the world, the UK does not require that people from Ireland be isolated because of the common travel area between the two countries. Although people flying to Ireland from abroad must have a negative coronavirus test, that rule does not apply to people switching to other international flights after arriving at Irish airports.

Simon Cowney, The Irish Foreign Minister acknowledged that the government would act if it found that “a serious problem arises” as a result of this situation.

The UK is making progress in its immunization program, and has already delivered two doses of Pfizer and Astrogeneca vaccines to more than 10 million people.

The British government on Monday announced 14,104 new cases of Govit-19, the lowest number since the beginning of December, although the number of patients admitted to the hospital is 29,326, which is higher than the peaks reached in previous waves of the epidemic.

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