UK nationals and residents returning from countries at high risk from new coronavirus variants will be requested to quarantine in hotels, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Wednesday, following a meeting with senior ministers.
The government has already barred travel from countries where the new and more aggressive coronavirus variants have emerged, including South Africa, Portugal and South America nations.
“All such arrivals who cannot be refused entry to isolate in government-provided accommodation – such as hotels – for ten days without exception. They will be met at the airport and transported directly into quarantine,” Johnson told the House of Commons.
Earlier in the week, the country’s Minister responsible for the vaccinations rollout, Nadhim Zahawi had indicated that the quarantine measure could be adopted, in a bid to prevent the risk of “vaccine-busting” new coronavirus variants entering the country.
The new restriction, which is among the toughest measures adopted in Europe could mark a further major blow to the already suffering travel industry.
