Coronavirus UK: Isolation to be slashed from two weeks to five days

Besieged Boris Johnson to announce dramatic shift in UK’s coronavirus quarantine measures in boost for international travel.

A pedestrian walks past the tents of homeless people outside a shop in central London. Picture: AFP

Besieged British prime minister Boris Johnson is to announce a dramatic shift in England’s quarantine measures later today (AEDT), cutting the number of days in isolation from two weeks to just five days.

In a boost to international travel, Mr Johnson is to introduce a five-day quarantine at home rule, with travellers able to break the quarantine after having a negative coronavirus test on day five.

Until now, only travellers coming from a handful of countries were able to avoid England’s two-week quarantine at home rule. The latest adjustment will help re-establish London’s hub for business and reinvigorate the decimated airline and travel industry.

Hi folks, quick update from me. Still self-isolating and working from my office in Downing St, leading on our response to the pandemic. pic.twitter.com/jtgLwVCUaU

— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) November 21, 2020

Mr Johnson will also announce that the current England lockdown will be eased on December 2 in favour of tighter tier systems, in which regional measures will be introduced according to the current rate of COVID-19 infections. However, he faces a backbench rebellion in Westminster with scores of MPs opposing any restrictions.

The latest England travel quarantine rules are at odds with Australia’s extensive ban on outward travel and rigorous two-week hotel quarantine for incoming travellers, including at least two negative coronavirus tests.

Australia’s extreme risk-averse policy has seen border closures and drastic emergency lockdowns to stop the spread of the virus in a naive population. In England, however, where more than 47,000 people have died having tested positive to the virus in the previous 28 days, lockdown-fatigue has seen many people ignore quarantine and openly question the efficacy of masks and social distancing measures.

Face coverings are displayed for sale in the window of a souvenir shop in central London. Picture: AFP

Despite the high numbers of infections — the Office for National Statistics estimates in England alone last week there were 664,700 new cases — the nation’s total deaths have barely risen above five-year average.

More than 10,000 people die each week in England and Wales and the number of coronavirus-positive people dying is levelling off at less than 400 a day.

ONS said there were 11,812 deaths across England and Wales in the week ending November 6, of which 16.4% involved a positive COVID-19 test. Nearly all of those coronavirus deaths were people aged over 65 with comorbidities, many of them already in hospital or care home settings.

Meanwhile, fresh reports of a “freedom pass” allowing people with two negative tests to go about their daily lives looks set to be challenged in the parliament on civil liberty grounds.

A spokesman for 10 Downing Street said: “It is the Prime Minister’s hope and belief that progress in mass testing can — if everyone continues to pull together — provide a way to suppress the virus and relax restrictions until a vaccine becomes available.”

“Every action counts when it comes to protecting ourselves and our loved ones from the coronavirus”.

Dr Amir Khan explains how opening windows for 15 minutes a day can help reduce the spread of coronavirus. pic.twitter.com/Ru5DTK4tTF

— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) November 22, 2020

But Mr Johnson may lose his working majority and have to rely on Labour support to get his measures through a parliamentary vote on Wednesday as a Tory backbench is fiercely opposed to any further coronavirus measures.

More than 70 Tory MPs have demanded an economic analysis of any tiers or restrictions after Mr Johnson used out-of-date data to justify the most recent four-week lockdown.

Recent leaks have suggested scientists want to have restrictions imposed until Easter, which could result in mass rebellion, not just in parliament, but on the streets.

The rebel MPs have formed the “Covid Recovery Group” and said in an open letter that the coronavirus lockdowns were inflicting huge health and economic costs.

“The Government must publish a full cost-benefit analysis of the proposed restrictions on a regional basis so that MPs can assess responsibly the non-Covid health impact of restrictions,” the letter read.

70-strong Covid Recovery Group of Tory MPs have just published letter to PM warning they won’t support his plan for new tiered restrictions “if it cannot be shown that they are saving more lives than they cost” & have asked for “full cost benefit analysis to be published” 👇 pic.twitter.com/edHF6S6wFz

— Beth Rigby (@BethRigby) November 22, 2020

“As everyone will know, like the disease, lockdowns and restrictions cause immense harm. There is no doubt that COVID-19 is a deadly disease to many and it is vital that we control its spread effectively. But we must give equal regard to other lethal killers like cancer, dementia and heart disease, to people’s mental health, and all the health implications of poverty and falling GDP.

“The tiered restrictions approach in principle attempts to link virus prevalence with measures to tackle it, but it’s vital we remember always that even the tiered system of restrictions infringes deeply upon people’s lives with huge health and economic costs. Even (the least restrictive) tier one only allows groups of up to six people to meet indoors.

“We cannot support this approach further unless the Government demonstrates the restrictions proposed for after December 3 will have an impact on slowing the transmission of COVID-19, and will save more lives than they cost.”