Why are arrivals from India not being sent to quarantine hotels?

A journalist was describing on Radio 4 the arrivals hall at Heathrow. People waiting hours to be vetted, queues from different flights standing next to each other, then everyone boarding busses together. And this is before we get the go ahead to take vacations. Nobody should be travelling abroad for holidays this summer if they want to avoid another lockdown or deadly virus variants entering the country. I have close family living in the USA but I shan’t be seeing them until it is safe to do so.

Callistemon

I've just applied for my Equity card.

Are you able to compete at elite level at any sport or have urgent business?

Both qualify for Australian visas at the moment (subject to Covid tests and quarantine)

Yes, I'm a champion all-round sportswoman plus a sought-after actor.
Multi-talented, that's me!

Callistemon I hope you do not think I am making light of not being able to travel to see family.
One of our AC and wife are in a red list country, their daughter (our GC) is on mainland Europe at college. To be honest it’s bluddy heartbreaking, we know it will pass but it’s the not knowing when.

Why is India not on the red list?
Given the rising rates of coronavirus and emergence of the concerning variant, many have called on India to be added as a red list country.

Journalist Robert Peston said: “With India’s Covid19 cases at more than 200,000 a day, and worries about a new strain there, it is extraordinary it has not been put on the red list for travel.

“The conspiracy theory from senior Tories is that the PM wants to avoid it going on.”

Westminster correspondent Ben Kentish tweeted: “India still not being on the UK red list despite reporting worrying new variants and 200,000 new cases a day raises serious questions about the purpose of the red list and hotel quarantine policy. If you’re not going to include the riskiest countries, what’s the point of it?”

(https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1424009/India-Covid-variant-why-is-india-not-on-the-red-list-boris-johnson-trip-india-virus-update)

Callistemon I hope you do not think I am making light of not being able to travel to see family.

No, not at all GrannyGravy, there are many of us in the same position.

I see India has at last been added to the red list from 04:00 hours Still think it's crazy that it took so long!

Weeks too late India has been added to the red list. There are over 100 cases of the Indian variant and evidence of community transmission. Why don't they learn? It looks like the government have put politics before health with the risk of the vaccination program being nullified. Why are they so rarely ahead of the game? Even now the restrictions don't come into play until Friday. Nearly 1000 arrivals per day until then. Madness.

Can't understand why we have to wait until Friday to implement Red status and quarantine for those returning from India. Why not immediate implementation? After all, we are talking lives here. I believe there are many extra flights being put on to accommodate incomers.

Kim19

Can't understand why we have to wait until Friday to implement Red status and quarantine for those returning from India. Why not immediate implementation? After all, we are talking lives here. I believe there are many extra flights being put on to accommodate incomers.

Yes, indeed Kim.

The Indian variant will be a corker, wait and see. Another cart before the horse move 3rd lockdown on its way.

It's very irresponsible to say that the "Indian" variant will be a corker. Its not even a variant of concern yet. It may become one, but it's not yet.

And saying the 3rd Lockdown is on its way is pure scaremongering and you have no basis for saying that.

By the way, I think you are getting your horse metaphors confused. Bolting the stable doors is what I think you mean.

I thought it was shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted

why shouldn't people return home to their family anyway? I British people work in India, my husband used to for example and I'd have wanted him to come down before any lockdown/restriction type scenario

Bolting the stable door after the horse has shut? Yes you could be right! ? ?

All the horse pubs are shut here, maybe that's it

why shouldn't people return home to their family anyway?

Because of the virus? Other countries have shut their borders, even to returning ex-pats and have been applauded for doing so!

The closure of the border cannot come as a surprise to anyone. The real question must be is why people are willing or allowed to travel at all in the pandemic.

Callistemon

^why shouldn't people return home to their family anyway?^

Because of the virus? Other countries have shut their borders, even to returning ex-pats and have been applauded for doing so!

Quite Callistemon. Apparently extra planes have been put on to bring people to the UK from India. It’s madness! Meanwhile the rest of us can’t even leave the country, let alone visit relatives in far flung places. There are many Gransnetters who would love to visit their adult children and grandchildren in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and America. But they can’t, they’re not allowed in despite lockdown, vaccinations, etc. But hundreds, maybe thousands, are allowed to fly in from India. Sheer madness!

Alegrias1

It's very irresponsible to say that the "Indian" variant will be a corker. Its not even a variant of concern yet. It may become one, but it's not yet.

And saying the 3rd Lockdown is on its way is pure scaremongering and you have no basis for saying that.

By the way, I think you are getting your horse metaphors confused. Bolting the stable doors is what I think you mean.

Infection rate is doubling at an alarming rate. It is known to have taken over from the other variants in the country including the U.K. one. It is the dominant virus in India. At what point does it become ‘of concern’ and a killer? When are we going to learn a lesson and be one step ahead of this virus and not constantly playing catch-up. It may not be as dangerous as it seems but best to assume it is and take immediate action. This virus thrives on complacency.

JaneJudge

I thought it was shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted

why shouldn't people return home to their family anyway? I British people work in India, my husband used to for example and I'd have wanted him to come down before any lockdown/restriction type scenario

That’s the whole point. People are going to flock here from India over the next few days. Why don’t we look to countries that have controlled the virus and copy them?

Infection rate is doubling at an alarming rate. It is known to have taken over from the other variants in the country including the U.K. one. It is the dominant virus in India. At what point does it become ‘of concern’ and a killer? When are we going to learn a lesson and be one step ahead of this virus and not constantly playing catch-up. It may not be as dangerous as it seems but best to assume it is and take immediate action. This virus thrives on complacency.

They've all been killers from the start.

It becomes "of concern" when the scientists believe its....of concern. That's a scientific term, not a random phrase that the tabloids use to try to scare us.

The infamous "double mutant" (ohhh, scary...) is a combination of the Brazil variant and the Californian one.

We mustn't be complacent but we mustn't think very bit of news that comes out about variants is a disaster.

Quite Callistemon. Apparently extra planes have been put on to bring people to the UK from India. It’s madness!

Having seen very few vapour trails over the last months, suddenly I saw 9 in the sky yesterday in a short period of time.

Extra planes.....really?

As we are not supposed to say....got any evidence?

Where were they going?

I've not seen so many for months, it was extraordinary.

It’s all very well to pour scorn on people’s comments but we are talking human lives here. To let people not the country, knowing they are from a place where the virus spread is not under control is just sheer negligence.