Travellers put into hotel quarantine after arriving in England will be allowed out of their rooms, prompting criticism that safety standards will be “lower” than expected.
Fresh air and cigarette breaks will be permitted and – unlike in Australia – there will be no regular testing of staff or compulsory wearing of the highest-grade surgical masks.
The details of the system, being introduced for 33 ‘red list’ countries on Monday, led to a Home Office minister being asked why the restrictions fell short of the “gold standard” anticipated.
“Is the virus not as troublesome in this country as it is in Australia?” Victoria Atkins was asked on BBC Breakfast. “Why are our standards lower than that?”
But Ms Atkins defended what she called “occasional gulps of fresh air”, insisting: “I think these are very, very strong measures.”
Responding to the minister’s remarks, an Australian epidemiologist warned that permitting quarantining travellers to leave their rooms is “very risky”.
Prof Michael Toole, from the Burnet Institute in Melbourne, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that there had been 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”.
Prof Toole added that using masks and hand sanitiser was not enough to prevent airborne transmission, underlining that Australia has learnt that allowing people to leave their rooms while accompanied by guards is “a very risky procedure”.
The minister also said Boris Johnson would take into account the willingness of the public to endure a longer lockdown, as well as the advice of scientists, when deciding when to lift it.
“The prime minister has this very difficult balancing act of keeping the public with us, keeping us all united in wanting to stick to the rules,” Ms Atkins told Sky News.
The looser restrictions than in Australia emerged as the state of Victoria announced a five-day lockdown because of a Covid-19 outbreak – triggered by a quarantine worker who became infected at a hotel.
Earlier outbreaks were caused by guests and staff mingling and epidemiologists have highlighted infections spreading to the community when guests have opened their doors.
But Ms Atkins said: “The hotel will of course be adhering to all of the very strict measures that we have in place in relation to social distancing and face masks and so on.
“Apart from anything else, we know that being outside is less likely to transmit than being inside.
“I think allowing someone a gulf of fresh air, during a 10-day visit in a hotel – with all the very strict measures that we have – I think, is reasonable.”
Challenged over whether the rules risked virus spread, Boris Johnson’s spokesman insisted they were “in line with other countries” – but was unable to name any.
Ms Atkins also said it is “up to Scotland” to decide where passengers landing in England before crossing the border should be required to quarantine in hotels – after Grant Shapps, the transport secretary, appeared to suggest otherwise.
And she declined to comment on the number of police officers that will be deployed to ensure arrivals to the UK follow quarantine rules.
Another £2m had been allocated to forces patrolling ports and airports, but the minister added: “Police operational details – first of all, I wouldn’t dream of announcing them on national television.”
