UK to tell overseas visitors self-isolate for 14 days or face £1,000 fine
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International travellers could face fines of £1,000 if they fail to self-isolate for 14 days after arriving in the UK, the government is expected to announce.
Visitors would be asked to share their contact details under the measures, with health officials performing spot checks to ensure they are complying with the rules.
The policy, which will be introduced early in June, is set to be unveiled by Home Secretary Priti Patel at the daily Downing Street briefing this afternoon.
Road hauliers and medical officials are going to be exempt from the new restrictions, and the common travel area with Ireland will be unaffected.
Despite London and Paris holding discussions about a possible exemption, it is believed that the quarantine measures will apply to arrivals from France.
In his address to the nation on 10 May, Prime Minister Boris Johnson had warned it would soon be time to “impose quarantine on people coming into this country by air” as the UK tries to keep coronavirus transmission rates down.
Speculation of a 14-day self-isolation period sparked an angry response from the already embattled aviation industry, with Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary describing the plan as “idiotic” and “unimplementable” earlier this week.
