Health Secretary Matt Hancock yesterday announced severe penalties for those not complying with the new border quarantine arrangements, including a 10 year in prison for lying about where you have travelled from.
From Monday, all arrivals will need to take TWO PCR tests, because they clearly work so well one is not enough, and still perform an eight day self-isolation. This will apply to everyone, regardless of where they are travelling in from or whether they are quarantining in a 'hotel' or in their home.
In total anyone arriving in the UK will now be taking a total of three COVID-19 tests, as a negative test within 72 hours of travel is also required. Hancock announced that any positive result will require 10 more days of quarantine from the date of the test (notably not symptoms) and that all positive results will be analysed by genome sequencing to identify the variant.
Lord Sumption, writing in the Telegraph, puts this in perspective:
Offences with 10-year maximum terms – Rioting – Making threats to kill – Indecent assault – Firearm possession – Burglary with intent to commit rape – Indecency with children under 14
Offences with seven-year maximum terms – Child sex offences – Carrying loaded firearm – Racially-aggravated assault – Incest
Kirstie Allsopp TV presenter, appeared to speak for all sensible people when she tweeted:
It should be noted that, news of Vaccine rollout that was intended to lead to the lifting of Lockdown is again being countered with even more oppressive measures. Millions of people have been planning foreign holidays encouraged by the rollout, but they were never going to happen because power and control, once gained, is never willing relinquished. This was only ever going to go one way, and that was down. More lockdowns, more laws, bigger fines were all on the cards for this year, welcome to Dystopia.
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