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

I thought it was.

Absolutely. There are always grey areas and we are dealing with people and their lives. Mind you, on top of this is the fact that this government has reduced overseas aid to poor countries: countries that need that money more than ever now. And we will never be over this pandemic until the poorest countries in the world are over it too.

India is on the red list from tomorrow. Just hope it is not too late. Boris is not going there now.

I have sympathy with individuals though I know none of you agree with me, which is fine as I understand where you are coming from too!

It is illegal for me to book a flight to India but perfectly ok for thousands to swan into the UK having just left a country riddled with Covi-19 and double variants. When, oh when, will we ever learn?

The government is hoping to do a trade deal with India, maybe that is something to with it.

India is a developing country and countries with widespread poverty do appear to have taken the hardest hit from the pandemic. It was always going to be the case they would struggle to cope in certain areas of the country. I don't mean that in a heartless way, I think it is really sad and the pain and loss inflicted by the virus has been too awful to contemplate.

Or am I scaremongering?

India has now had the largest infection increase of any country since the start of the pandemic. Are alarm bells starting to ring here now?

Heathrow Airport has announced it is not allowing any extra flights from India.

I have no idea if these are extra planes but looking on Heathrow arrivals today:

6.55 from Mumbai
7.30 Delhi
11.30 Mumbai
pm Delhi
etc

and so it goes on. And how many does each plane carry?

Alegrias1

^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.

And the U.K. variant is the reason why infection rates across Europe are out of control. This variant should have been nipped in the bud, given that it was known about for some time because of our genomic sequencing.

Not = Into

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.

Where were they going?

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

Extra planes.....really?

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

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.

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.

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?

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.

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!

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.

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!

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

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