Quarantine - what are our options?

Serenababy

Must admit I'm worried about the passenger locator form we filled in. Just don't want to risk getting into trouble. As people have said, it's very unclear in places.
Think I'll see if I can just postpone or cancel. Thanks.

bradders1983

When they added the 60 or so countries in originally they said anyone who had back from Spain etc... could stop staying at home the moment it went on the OK list. 
TBF I assumed it was still the same process. 

victor2

It's a shame the government can't just rely upon us to use common sense and do everything we can to help contain this killer virus.

They might not have handled the pandemic very well, but that's another topic.

Perhaps they should rule the country like China, where it all started. If they impose a lockdown, everybody obeys or faces very harsh consequences, we just complain about a violation of our rights.

bradders1983

Serenababy said:

Must admit I'm worried about the passenger locator form we filled in. Just don't want to risk getting into trouble. As people have said, it's very unclear in places.
Think I'll see if I can just postpone or cancel. Thanks.

The DHSC have said it is fine, I really dont know what more reassurance you need. The UK is not a prison. If they havent rang you by Day 9 (or whatever day you are going) they will no doubt not ring you at all and it is fine to leave the country again in that time anyway.

whirlyhead

victor2 said:

It's a shame the government can't just rely upon us to use common sense and do everything we can to help contain this killer virus.

They might not have handled the pandemic very well, but that's another topic.

Perhaps they should rule the country like China, where it all started. If they impose a lockdown, everybody obeys or faces very harsh consequences, we just complain about a violation of our rights.

It would alarm me even more if they were relying on people's common sense as rather a lot of people don't seem to have any!

silvercar

epm-84 said:

bradders1983 said:

epm-84 said:

bradders1983 said:

epm-84 said:

bradders1983 said:

epm-84 said:

bradders1983 said:

Is there anything in the rules stopping you returning to an airport and flying out of the country within the 14 days?

Yes.  Once you arrive at your designated address for self-isolating there's only very limited reasons which you can leave before the 14 days is up such as a doctor needing to see you in person.  You may be able to get out of the country during the 14 days if a family member has died abroad but I can't see any other loopholes to allow you to leave your home to travel to the airport.

I suspect you are wrong here, there was a recent thread where someone wanted to come to the UK from another country for just a week and it was acertained there was nothing stopping him coming here, going to a house, and then returning to the airport on Day 7 to go home. This is no different in reality. The UK only cares what is coming in, not out.

Would you care to point where that exception is in the government's list? https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-how-to-self-isolate-when-you-travel-to-the-uk/coronavirus-covid-19-how-to-self-isolate-when-you-travel-to-the-uk

The rules are slightly different for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland but for England I can't see any exception for a British national who's got a leisure trip abroad planned within 14 days of returning from a previous one.  In fact it specifically mentions a fine of up to £3200 if you leave your self-isolation address before 14 days is up and you don't provide an alternative address where you can continue your self-isolation (which itself is only allowed in exceptional circumstances.)

"If you’re travelling to the UK for less than 10 days you will need to self-isolate for the length of your stay."

The OP has travelled to the UK from Malta and will be in the UK for less than 10 days. Nowhere on there does it say that rule only applies to non-British nationals. Even if it did, not all British nationals are resident in the UK.

The 10 days bit you quote follows on is part of an example where someone has spent 4 days in an exempt country before arriving in the UK, which is why it mentions 10 days not 14 days, so if it applies it'll be 'for less than 14 days' in this case, not the 10 given in the example.

What it doesn't say is anything about updating the details on your passenger locator form if you said you would remain at an address for 14 days but plan to leave the UK after less than 14 days.

See the Fullfact.org link posted by Bagand96 above.

That was posted at the time I was writing my post and doesn't actually change what I said - what you said about 'within 10 days' was incorrect as it applied to a specific example where someone had already spent 4 days in an exempt country before arriving in the UK.  That link also doesn't say about how to update a passenger locator form if you told them you were to be in the UK for 14+ days and change your mind before the 14 days is up.  If they phone you up on day 13 and you say "No I'm in Portugal now", will they say "Oh OK" and hang up or start asking questions about why your form doesn't have accurate information on it?

The correct procedure, outlined on the form, is to complete a new form if your location is going to change.

epm-84

victor2 said:

Perhaps they should rule the country like China, where it all started. If they impose a lockdown, everybody obeys or faces very harsh consequences, we just complain about a violation of our rights.

And send people to camps to be re-educated (or brainwashed) if they are of the wrong religion and have connections to people outside of the country?

According to the CIA the virus started as the result of bodged scientific research on bats going wrong in a lab near a 'wet market' and China put 100% of the blame on the market.

Nebulous2

epm-84 said:

bradders1983 said:

Doshwaster said:

The craziness with the rules now mean that if you are currently in Portugal and due to fly back on Friday you would still have to quarantine but if you delay your return 24 hours until Saturday then you won't!

Not quite...anyone returning on Friday would only have to quarantine until 4am Saturday when the measures are changed. 

Have they changed it then?  When they lifted restrictions for other countries they said those already self-isolating after returning from said country need to continue self-isolating as for someone whose already been self-isolating for 7 days would have travelled back when the infection rate was higher and symptoms can take up to 14 days to show up.

The crazy thing about the 4am cut off is in theory a flight from Dubrovnik to London could depart within minutes of one from Dubrovnik to Manchester and the London flight might touch down at 03:55, while the Manchester one might touch down at 04:25.

That’s how cut-offs work, some people will fall either side.

It’s like paying your credit card bill, either it’s on time and you are fine, or you are late and get a £12 charge. 

triple_choc_chip

My colleague has done exactly this. He flew to Spain when it was ok, returned to quarantine and then decided to fly to Turkey all inclusive to wait it out in the sun. He learned about this option 1st hand from the official who phoned 3days after his return from Spain to check on him and remind him of the quarantine rules. 

epm-84

triple_choc_chip said:

My colleague has done exactly this. He flew to Spain when it was ok, returned to quarantine and then decided to fly to Turkey all inclusive to wait it out in the sun. He learned about this option 1st hand from the official who phoned 3days after his return from Spain to check on him and remind him of the quarantine rules. 

In reality that only works if you book after the government have announced any new restrictions on the Thursday and you return within 8 days of booking, otherwise you may face a new 14 day quarantine restriction - Turkey has been reported as one destination the government is keeping a close eye on due to a rise in cases.