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Legal action over red list quarantine
There has been a lot of speculation about whether the government will abandon its red list hotel quarantine, but as yet there are no signs that the government will do this. The sheer scale of the red list and the fact that the whole of South America is on it, has drawn criticism from many countries that point out there seems to be little basis for many of them to be on the list.
Tales of harassment poor food and even rats have surfaced of those stuck in quarantine. While we all appreciate the need for keeping the country safe, there are other ways this could be done, such as tracking devices. The cost of quarantine also rose to a ridiculous starting price of £2285 for one person. (Why anyone would pay this is beyond me when you could fly to a third country for 10 days and stay without being a prisoner before coming back within the rules as amber or green.)
Now London-based firm PGMBM has launched legal action saying that the quarantine is an “unlawful deprivation of liberty” which “violates fundamental human rights”. The legal action is focussed on those fully vaccinated which makes sense given that with the lower risk of those fully vaccinated being infected, they could safely quarantine at home with perhaps a few adjustments on the way they are allowed to travel home. (currently, you can take public transport from amber countries to quarantine at home).
The firm is seeking compensation for the “breach in human rights” and refunds of the cost of the quarantine hotel stays.
Tom Goodhead, managing partner of PGMBM, said “Prisoners are entitled to more liberty than those forced to quarantine in hotels,” “We have all read about the horrific experiences of some of the people in these hotels. We want to see this draconian policy scrapped and those affected to be properly compensated.”
New Zealand to stay closed until 2022
New Zealand seems to have a relatively optimistic plan to reopen their borders in 2022 compared to Australia’s seemingly never-ending border closure which could last as long as mid to late 2022.
New Zeland’s plan is to use the rest of 2021 to “to vaccinate as many New Zealanders as possible and safely conduct a self-isolation trial for vaccinated New Zealanders in order to prepare for a phased resumption of quarantine-free travel”.
The reopening will be a phased approach so unless cases drop dramatically in the UK, I can’t see us being one of the initial countries on the list to not have to isolate sadly. There will be a risk-based approach for allowing quarantine-free travel. This means that initially vaccinated travellers arriving from low-risk countries will not have to isolate. For those from a medium risk (hopefully the UK) then it is likely to include self-isolation or possibly a shorter hotel quarantine for vaccinated travellers.
The current managed hotel isolation will continue for high-risk countries. There was no mention of allowing non-vaccinated travellers at all.
Countries like New Zealand that have pursued a zero Covid strategy are now in a very difficult position. They will at some point have to abandon their zero Covid strategies unless they are to keep opening and closing borders or locking down every time there is a new case. Sadly Covid is here to stay and eventually most countries will have to learn to live with it once they have vaccinated all those that want it.
Cathay Pacific introduces Business light
Australia’s Executive Traveller reports that Cathay Pacific is the next airline to revamp their fare structure. Several airlines have recently gone down the road of stripping out the usual benefits such as lounge access and selected seating for their cheapest business fares such as Qatar and Emirates.
Fortunately, Cathay has not used it as an excuse to cut loads of perks. Business Save fares will be rebranded as Business Light but strangely they have actually increased the luggage allowance across business class to two pieces weighing up to 32 kg each. They have also rechristened Business standard as Business Essential. That leaves Business Flex, which stays the same.
We don’t know yet if there will be any other changes in line with the rebranding of the fares.
Cathay’s Premium Economy fares will also get a generous 2 bags at 23kg.
10 comments
Regarding legal action against the Government. For me this should be extended to the test to return and the absolutely ridiculous 2nd and 8 day test when you are back in the UK. I understand it may be an isolated incident but that one picture of PCR tests stacked on top of the collection unit just sums it all up, what a waste of money. THE WHOLE THING IS DESIGNED AROUND REVENUE GENERATION FOR THE UK GOVERNMENT. Introduce testing to come home (creates uncertainty), introduce multiple tests when at home, depending upon where you travelled (creates uncertainty). Apply a horrendous fee for red list countries, which is sooooo easy to get around, then increase it!! (creates uncertainty). Oh, but by the way, as many politicians have stated “We have some lovely places to visit in the UK”, in other words SPEND YOUR HARD EARNED CASH ON WHERE WE TELL YOU NOT WHERE YOU WANT. Apologies for the rant and I understand if this doesn’t get published/posted but this is just getting STUPID !!
I agree Nigel. Given that they said it was to detect variants but it turns out only a tiny fraction are actually genetically sequences. If you are double vaccinated one test should be enough or at a stretch two rapid tests with a PCR if positive.
The delta variant is bloody everywhere now. Frankly I’d scrap all tests to return to the UK and just get on with living with covid. Either the vaccines work, and so we can go back to normal life. Or the vaccines don’t work, in which case we’ve got to bloody get back to normal life and get on with living rather than this trepidatious existing.
Be thankful we’re not in Australia. https://coronavirus.nt.gov.au/travel/quarantine/mandatory-supervised-quarantine-for-repatriated-australians.
“All returning Australians on the Commonwealth facilitated flights into the Northern Territory are required to undertake 14 days of mandatory supervised quarantine under the Northern Territory Public and Environmental Health Act 2011. The mandatory quarantine must be undertaken at the Centre of National Resilience at Howards Springs.”
To be fair I am definitely starting to think about keeping my holiday to Namibia next summer and coming back and staying in a green country at less expense than a quarantine hotel near LHR! I’d like to think this crap has gone by then but you just can’t tell with this government
Yes it does make you wonder where it will end! I think that’s the best way to do it rather than lining the government’s pockets as there’s no way it costs over £2k for 10 nights even with the food and security. If it does then they need to sack their purchasing people for poor negotiation!
I’ve decided the best thing to do with all this useful and wasteful testing that has been introduced around travel is to put it as an expense on my tax return, after all, I need to travel even if it is only for my mental health to escape the current crazy situation introduced by the UK government but they can bare the costs for me.
Sorry, I meant useless….
Where is the photo under the New Zealand story taken? It looks absolutely breathtaking!
If you mean the one with the mountains it’s Queenstown. And it’s even better I’m real life. One of my favourite places.
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