Quarantine reintroduced for those returning from Spain

blondenana

kittylester i hope your daughter will enjoy Scarborough, at least we have had no cases reported for the last 4 weeks
Although the weather isn't brilliant at the moment

*blondenana, thank you. They lived in Scarborough when they first got married and SDiL's mother and her partner live there so they go quite often.

Exactly how it should be no notice and fast action. At last. People going abroad during a pandemic are not thinking straight. We need tourism in England more than ever, support your own country, most people are being supported by them. People on furlough should not be allowed to go abroad but should be available for work at short notice.

The canary Island I visit has no cases and has not for some time. They are suffering and many lovely bars and restaurants have closed for good. Those that own property have gone over to make sure all is OK. If the canaries and balearics are clear they should not enforce lockdown on return and give these small islands a chance to recover their livelihoods. If I was retired and could have an extra two weeks to isolate on return I'd be booking a flight now.

People on furlough should not be allowed to go abroad but should be available for work at short notice.

Like in a police state you mean?

Alexa

It must be difficult to keep well away from other people in any popular crowded holiday resort home or abroad.

Exactly Alexa! (I love your name)

Some of us booked our holiday to Spain months ago, before Corona so not being cavalier about travel at all. We family of 3 generations due to travel in August and really all hoping that we won’t be able to go ! It has been such a worry as if we decide to cancel we collectively stand to lose several thousand pounds. If holiday is cancelled we will give a sigh of relief. It has been a very anxious time so don’t feel scathing about us please.

I’m surprised at how many people rushed off abroad anyway. We cancelled ours in September due to uncertainty.
I think we shouldn’t be surprised with any sudden changes to our lives after all we are in a pandemic.

BlueSky

But any of us in the UK could have to quarantine if coming into contact with a positive case, if we went for a meal for instance or the hairdresser.

Good point!

merlotgran

I have no sympathy. Anyone risking going abroad for a holiday so soon after total Lockdown was taking a chance.

We have a holiday industry of our own that could do with support.

Ditto....

Includes the Balearics and I believe the Canaries too.

I haven't heard anyone saying it is unfair. Only that it is very hard on those trapped by it which indeed it is. Families will be in trouble if children are not back in time to start school so their holiday window is small. Spain is hot, Spain has sandy beaches. Spain is near, and above all for families Spain is cheap. Have a heart.

No, I think it’s reasonable action. I know it’s sudden but that’s how it necessarily is going to be for a while and we have to consider that when going away.

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

I've always thought that instant lockdown whilst away from home was a distinct possibility therefore am too chicken to take the chance. The severity of lockdowns in some other countries seems decidedly undesirable to me. I'll just stay put meantime much as I'm longing to chase some sunshine. East, West home currently seems to be best. Hey ho.

We are living with a pandemic that has the potential to kill. If there is a sudden increase in cases in one particular area do we really want the authorities to know this, maybe tell us and then say ‘but it’s Ok you don’t need to protect others from the risk for another two weeks’ ? I don’t think so!!
This is the world we live in now; it requires common sense and respect for others - both of which have been in short supply for a long time

Thank you Blue Sky. I used another of my fav names on another site I go to.

It’s heartening to see everyone agrees with this. I’m just surprised that Spain was ever on the list of safe countries to visit. There are other choices for a holiday that, whilst not totally without risk, are somewhat safer. After going all, just going out of the house isn’t 100% safe, but relative risks should be assessed and acted on.

GagaJo people entering the UK from abroad have to have a form giving their destination details and a phone number which is handed over or is online at border control. And yes they do do random checks. My friend returned to England from Portugal last week and 5 days later she received a phone call checking that she was abiding by the rules of quarantine. One lady received 3 phone calls during her quarantine time.
I would love to be able to come to see my family but when we come we have to stay in a hotel and there is no way we could quarantine in a hotel for 14 days.

Alexa I too use this name on another site and really identify with it, a lot more than 'BlueSky'!

Daisyboots

GagaJo people entering the UK from abroad have to have a form giving their destination details and a phone number which is handed over or is online at border control. And yes they do do random checks. My friend returned to England from Portugal last week and 5 days later she received a phone call checking that she was abiding by the rules of quarantine. One lady received 3 phone calls during her quarantine time.
I would love to be able to come to see my family but when we come we have to stay in a hotel and there is no way we could quarantine in a hotel for 14 days.

I did this when returning from Switzerland at the end of June (this was when there was a blanket quarantine, ironic because Switzerland had very few cases). And I did my 2 weeks quarantine. No checks at all. Not one.

I am eagerly awaiting the lift of the quarantine for us coming from Sweden,I need to get to the house we have there, as it has been empty since March, been checked on by my lovely neighbour.I feel so cut off being stuck here, if I get to the UK is is ok to travel around once we have been released from quarantine? If I dont get there soon I feel I will go mad. Once I step off the plane there is a straight through journey for one and a half hours directly to the house where we will stay in the house and garden for two weeks, there isnt a problem there, but after the two weeks will it be safe to travel around Cumbria where we have the house? can anyone recommend anything please.

My daughter also booked her holiday on Majorca before Christmas before all this happened because it’s close and cheap and she’s worked throughout lockdown in retail she was just so looking forward to the break away. Now probably will have to cancel and lose very hard earned money. Please don’t judge people harshly for being disappointed.

Please don't be hard on these people. My daughter was due to go to Ibiza next week, a holiday booked this time last year. She was not offered an alternative date when CV started and if she had cancelled she would have lost all her money. She was hoping it would happen smoothly but now cannot go as she cannot have an extra two weeks off work afterwards to quarantine. I doubt she'll get a penny back as the holiday is still available for her.

I’m due to fly to Gran Canaria on Tuesday to meet up with my partner who I haven’t seen since the middle of March. We are spending 6 days reacquainting before flying to our apartment on La Palma. Every fibre in my body is telling me that quarantine wise this is totally the most idiotic thing to do but in order to resume our relationship (civil partnership) I really have to go. Hopefully by the time I’m planning to return in October the quarantine requirement will have been lifted. In terms of the virus there have been fewer cases than in the area of West Yorkshire where I live so it actually feels a safer place to be.

I imagine the reason the islands are included is that people could fly from mainland Spain to the islands then back to UK from there, and bring in the virus that way.