Former diplomat Andy Wigmore has told of his family’s last-minute dash from a skiing holiday following the news hundreds of Britons broke Covid guidelines to flee Switzerland and avoid having to quarantine there.
Mr Wigmore, a well-known Leave.EU figure, was with his family at the popular Swiss Wengen ski resort when he was informed that a mandatory 10-day quarantine was coming into effect in the area, on 22 December, following the discovery of the new coronavirus variant. It was at this point the Brexiteer and his family decided to travel home to Oxford, in the UK, via France immediately.
Taking to Instagram on 23 December, the father-of-two posted that he was among “a number of Brits” who managed to “escape Switzerland”. He said he had arrived in London that morning after catching a train from Paris.
“Just like the Sound of Music, the Wiggy von Trapps decided to make a run for it, from the slopes to the Swiss border in less than 3 hours,” he said. “Ended up in Paris at midnight and then caught the last EuroStar to London this morning, just in time for Christmas.”
Mr Wigmore, his wife and two children had been in Switzerland for a “few days”, he wrote on Instagram – but cut the trip short after news of the quarantine broke.
Speaking to The Independent on Monday night, Mr Wigmore said he had done “nothing wrong” and that he and his family had tests “before and after the trip, which were negative”.
“Switzerland was open when we went and there were no restrictions on travelling there, we all had tests before departure and on our return. I am part of the Oxford Vaccine trial so I’m fully aware of responsibilities re travel etc,” he said.
About his journey back to Britain, Mr Wigmore said a “Swiss friend” advised the family to “make a run for it before the quarantine became official and at that point we decided to get across the Swiss border into France using the train network”. He said the group then went to Paris and got “the Eurostar to London”.
“I have a house in Wengen and have done so for over 20 years. I visit 3 to 4 times a year,” he added.
It comes after separate reports over the weekend that some 200 Britons holidaying in Verbier – also in Switzerland – decided to abandon a coronavirus quarantine and return home. According to a spokesman in Valais canton, 420 British guests had been booked into Verbier accommodation before Christmas and only about a dozen remained.
Skiers walk in the Alpine resort of Verbier on 22 December
” height=”2580″ width=”3437″ srcset=”https://static.independent.co.uk/2020/12/28/19/newFile.jpg?width=320 320w, https://static.independent.co.uk/2020/12/28/19/newFile.jpg?width=640 640w” layout=”responsive” i-amphtml-layout=”responsive”> Skiers walk in the Alpine resort of Verbier on 22 December (AFP via Getty)
The BBC reported that hotels only became aware that guests had left when plates of food left outsider their rooms were not eaten.
Switzerland imposed a 10-day quarantine backdated to 14 December because of the new Covid variant spreading in the UK, and the huge number of British holiday makers who had travelled to the popular skiing destinations.
The country also stopped incoming flights from the UK and South Africa on 20 December.
Mr Wigmore told The Independent that “since returning on the 23rd, we have been quarantined in our house and will continue to do so for the 10-day requirement”.
“All our tests before and after were negative,” he repeated.
