No10 insists quarantine hotel policy ‘in line’ with other lands

DOWNING Street has insisted its hotel quarantine policy – which is backed by the Welsh Government – is “in line” with other countries, despite being warned by an Australian epidemiologist that allowing travellers to leave their room for fresh air is “very risky”.

Professor Michael Toole, from the Burnet Institute in Melbourne, Victoria, said rules in Australia had to be strengthened to reduce the chance of airborne transmission – suggesting England should adopt similar measures.

He said there have been Covid-19 cases in the city where an infected guest opened their room door and “with the positive pressure, this kind of fog of virus went out into the corridor, travelled down and infected hotel staff”.

Asked for his views on people being allowed to leave their rooms in England’s quarantine hotels while accompanied by guards, he said: “We’ve learnt that that is a very risky procedure.”

UK nationals or residents returning to England from 33 “red list” countries will be required to spend 10 days in a Government-designated hotel from Monday but, unlike in Australia, they will be allowed to leave their rooms for fresh air.

Unite the union said it was “deeply alarming” for hotel workers that the guidelines are “far inferior” to those in Australia.

Hospitality organiser Bryan Simpson said: “Once again the Government has been found guilty of prioritising headlines over the safety of workers.

“It must not be ignored that workers are in as great a danger of transmitting the virus between each other as being exposed to it from quarantining passengers.”

It will be up to individual hotels to decide on the exercise rules, but the Department for Health dismissed a report that travellers would be allowed outside their rooms to smoke.

They also insisted hotel staff will have access to regular testing and suitable PPE.

Downing Street defended the level of restrictions, with a spokesman telling a Westminster briefing: “They are in line with other countries who are taking this approach.

“We require repeat testing, travellers to quarantine inside their room for 10 days and we have strict penalties in place for anyone who fails to comply.”

He said travellers are allowed outside for exercise “with permission from hotel staff”, but stressed that the list of exemptions to staying inside the hotel room is “quite limited”.