Quarantining holidaymakers engenders fear when what we need is hope
sir – The Government’s benchmark for closing a “travel corridor” is when the foreign destination hits an infection rate of 20 cases per 100,000 people, a percentage rate of just 0.02 per cent. The few Covid-19 hotspots in France exceeding this low threshold (report, August 16) surely do not justify the quarantine rules now imposed on people returning from there and, probably, soon from other European countries.
It would be laughable if the consequences were not so dire for the travel and hospitality industries, in addition to the unnecessary restrictions imposed on the freedom of individuals. Sadly, the Government’s policy seems to engender fear, which was successful in imposing lockdown originally, whereas what is needed now is hope and optimism.
Norman Macfarlane
Kingston upon Thames, Surrey
sir – Those who chose to go on holiday to France knew there was a chance that restrictions would come into force and that they may have to go into quarantine – which is what has happened. If they could not risk quarantine they should not have gone.
More importantly, because our Government gave 30 hours’ notice, there was a great surge of people trying to get back to Britain, en masse, increasing the risk of Covid-19 spreading through overcrowded ports, airports and ferries.
If restrictions were necessary, the Government should have imposed them immediately and not have waited.
Jan Greep
Broughton, Hampshire
sir – Not only have these holidaymakers ignored the Foreign Secretary’s advice – he said in spring that he, for one, would not be going overseas this summer – they must have also had their heads in the sand for the past week when warnings of imminent quarantine for travellers from France were all over the press.
I have no problem with people choosing to go to France on holiday, but complaining when it goes wrong suggests a complete lack of responsibility for choices made.
Catriona Wylie Carrick
Shepton Beauchamp, Somerset
sir – I am currently in Greece and am endeavouring to complete the necessary form to return to the United Kingdom. Were a manager of a private firm to have produced such an incompetent document, they would be removed from serious office.
The information required is repetitive and overly long. The PDF document that must be presented on return has to be printed and cannot be shown on a mobile phone or ipad.
I am fortunate in that I am in my own house with a computer and printer. How many others on holiday will be in a similar position? I can only imagine the chaos at the airport when people try to present these documents on their screens.
Charles Cooper
Southwold, Suffolk