Coronavirus: Sick tourist who arrives at Heathrow plans to get on Tube and does not know he has to quarantine
A traveller who flew into Heathrow Airport from Switzerland on Monday said he was not informed about the UK’s 14-day coronavirus quarantine rule on the day it came into force.
The man, who spoke to ITV on Monday while wearing a face mask, said he was feeling unwell but planned to take the Tube into central London. He said his symptoms were not related to Covid-19.
ITV reporter Martin Stew posted a video of himself speaking to the man in Heathrow, and asked: “Nobody told you that you have to stay in one place for two weeks?”
The man shook his head, and Mr Stew added: “And you have to pay a fine of £1,000 if you don’t stay in one place … It’s quite bad isn’t it, that nobody told you!”
“Passenger arriving at Heathrow from Switzerland and just told me he had no idea he was supposed to be quarantining,” tweeted Mr Stew.
Passenger arriving at Heathrow from Switzerland just told me he had no idea he was supposed to be quarantining. To make matters worse he said he was feeling unwell and was going to take the tube. He didn’t think he had COVID-19 as believes he’s had it before. @itvlondon
— Martin Stew (@MartinStewITV)
“To make matters worse he said he was feeling unwell and was going to take the Tube. He didn’t think he had Covid-19 as believes he’s had it before.”
He added in another tweet: “He said symptoms appeared to be from an ear/tooth infection but wasn’t too sure (and there was a bit of a language barrier).”
The new rules require all passengers, except those arriving from the Common Travel Area (CTA) — the Republic of Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of man — to fill out an online locator form with their contact and travel details, as well as the address of where they will be isolating.
Any visitors who fail to comply could be fined up to £1,000 in England and surprise visits will be conducted to check if they are following the rules.
The Home Office responded: “Transport operators are required to make sure that passengers travelling to the UK are provided with information on the measures.”
Over 200 travel companies have called for the quarantine rules to be scrapped, but Home Secretary Priti Patel defended them, saying the move would protect public health and that imported coronavirus cases “pose a more significant threat”.
British Airways is understood to be mounting a legal challenge and will ask judges to overturn the quarantine regulations on the grounds that airlines were not properly consulted.
The airline called the measures “irrational and disproportionate” and said they were far harsher than those that apply to confirmed carriers of the virus already in the UK.
