UK arrivals forced to quarantine in hotels under a new Covid crackdown on travellers will reportedly face bills of more than £1,000 for their stay.
The Best Western hotel chain said it was ‘ready to step in’ and were waiting for the Government ‘green light’ to provide ‘safe, cared for Covid isolation for travellers requiring hotel quarantine.’
The aviation industry, however, has warned of ‘catastrophe’ on the already beleaguered trade with plans for passengers arriving in the UK to have to stay sealed inside a hotel for 10 days.
Boris Johnson said on Monday that the “idea of looking at hotels is certainly one thing we’re actively now working on.”
He added: “We have to realise there is at least the theoretical risk of a new variant that is a vaccine-busting variant coming in, we’ve got to be able to keep that under control.”
(Image: Getty Images)
He is expected to approve plans to force some travellers arriving to the UK to quarantine in hotels in a bid to limit the spread of new coronavirus variants.
The Prime Minister will discuss proposals for arrivals to quarantine in designated hotels to ensure they follow self-isolation rules with senior ministers on Tuesday.
Various options are said to be on the table, but Whitehall sources suggested that ministers may opt for a more limited system after aviation leaders warned that introducing tougher border rules would be damaging for the industry.
In a joint statement, the Airport Operators Association and Airlines UK insisted the country already has “some of the highest levels of restrictions in the world” and that introducing tougher rules would be “catastrophic”.
Meanwhile, The Times reports that those having to quarantine would have to cover the price of their stay in hotels for 10 days, potentially setting them back more than £1,000.
The paper reports that the system could take up to three weeks to implement.
(Image: PIA JOSEPHSON via REUTERS)
Andrew Denton, the head of hotels at Best Western GB, said the firm was ready to ‘step in’ to help control the spread of the virus.
He said: “We have spent nine months doing the homework and the hard work behind the scenes working with some of the UK’s leading medical people and organisations to put the procedures and policies in place to do this properly and safely, for guests and staff.
“We are expecting an announcement from the Government. Best Western hotels are ready to step in, help out and contribute to controlling the spread of the virus at this time of national need.”
A final decision is set to be made at a meeting on Tuesday. No 10 declined to comment.
