Greece to UK self isolation shambles.

Korkyb

I live in Scotland & just had to cancel a holiday to Greece due to Scottish Government introduction of 2 weeks self isolation if coming to Scotland from anywhere in Greece.

The trip was to see my daughter who has been working in a remote part of mainland Greece for 2 months.

But that's not what my rant is about.... I knew there was a risk of this happening when I arranged my trip.

Yesterday Bo Jo Inc decided not to impose any isolation on people travelling from Greece to England.

Above mentioned daughter was due to come home in a couple of weeks to start University but has decided to come home early so she can see her friends after her isolation before heading to Uni.

As her flight lands in Englandshire this weekend (remember no isolation there for her) she has decided to visit friends in that fair country before returning to her home in Bonny Scotland.

This means for the best part of a week she will be able to roam free in England socializing, shopping, eating out etc etc (whilst socially distancing of course).

However as soon as she crosses the border into Scotland and gets home I'll have to send to into isolation in the special room I keep in the cellar (lets call it the Fritzl suite) for the remainder of her 2 weeks since she left Greece.

Now I'm not a Covid denier (I'm actually a clinician working on the frontline of the Covid response) but this to my simple mind is a bonkers situation that really appears designed to deliberately make the public lose faith in our leaders.

To be honest I'm not sure if its Bo Jo or our very own First Minister (Jimmy Krankie) that's made the wrong call on this one but I suspect that Wales having imposed isolation on just the islands that have Covid problems have struck the correct balance.

If anyone can explain to me what decision making process is being used please (please) let me know? (& can the last person to leave the travel industry please remember to turn the lights off !).

bradders1983

From the BBC....

"But discrepancies between different UK nations makes it even harder as someone could, theoretically, fly into Newcastle from Greece and drive into Scotland. That person should self-isolate for 14 days, but no-one will be checking."

Nudge nudge, wink wink.

Korkyb

bradders1983 said:

From the BBC....

"But discrepancies between different UK nations makes it even harder as someone could, theoretically, fly into Newcastle from Greece and drive into Scotland. That person should self-isolate for 14 days, but no-one will be checking."

Nudge nudge, wink wink.

She is going to burn up some of her isolation time in London visiting friends and living the high life.

Option of ignoring isolation has already been considered by us but as everyone & their granny knows that she landed a plum job on a Greek beach for the last 2 months if she pitches up home eating her fill in the local `spoons someone might just grass her up in the current climate.



Probably not worth a zillion quid fine & potentially a criminal record.

Anyway - I didn't go to all that effort in the cellar for nothing   

TELLIT01

bradders1983 said:

From the BBC....

"But discrepancies between different UK nations makes it even harder as someone could, theoretically, fly into Newcastle from Greece and drive into Scotland. That person should self-isolate for 14 days, but no-one will be checking."

Nudge nudge, wink wink.

The Welsh Health Minister said that they will receive information about all Welsh residents irrespective of where they land in the UK so the 'suggestion' above could be an expensive mistake.

bagand96

Some might say the current shambles around travel restrictions (and the differences in easing of lockdown restrictions before) have more to do with Scottish and Welsh Governments wanting to just be different from Westminster than they do anything else...

TELLIT01

bagand96 said:

Some might say the current shambles around travel restrictions (and the differences in easing of lockdown restrictions before) have more to do with Scottish and Welsh Governments wanting to just be different from Westminster than they do anything else...

There is at least an element of logic in the decision made by the Welsh Government as they are targetting what they perceive to be higher risk destinations.  The blanket quarantine introduced in Scotland makes no sense.  Either accept the national figure and act on that or use regional figures and implement controls based on those.

richardw

TELLIT01 said:

bagand96 said:

Some might say the current shambles around travel restrictions (and the differences in easing of lockdown restrictions before) have more to do with Scottish and Welsh Governments wanting to just be different from Westminster than they do anything else...

There is at least an element of logic in the decision made by the Welsh Government as they are targetting what they perceive to be higher risk destinations....

There are no flights from Cyclades airports to any airports in Wales. I don’t see the logic.

TELLIT01

richardw said:

TELLIT01 said:

bagand96 said:

Some might say the current shambles around travel restrictions (and the differences in easing of lockdown restrictions before) have more to do with Scottish and Welsh Governments wanting to just be different from Westminster than they do anything else...

There is at least an element of logic in the decision made by the Welsh Government as they are targetting what they perceive to be higher risk destinations....

There are no flights from Cyclades airports to any airports in Wales. I don’t see the logic.

I meant there is an element of logic in putting restrictions on arrivals from areas where higher levels of Covid 19 have been detected, or high numbers of returning passengers are testing positive.  Where those flights land in the UK is irrelevant as the rules apply to people living in Wales, not flights landing in Wales.

Grumpy_chap

When did foreign policy become a matter for the devolved administrations?

sheramber

https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainers/coronavirus-and-devolution

Major public services affected by the pandemic, in particular public health services and education, are the responsibility of the devolved administrations in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. In the case of Scotland and Northern Ireland, policing and justice matters are also devolved.

Existing emergency powers to deal with the spread of infection are set out in different pieces of legislation for the four nations. In England and Wales, powers are provided by the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984 (as amended by the Health Protection Act 2008). Similar powers are provided by the Public Health etc. (Scotland) Act 2008 and the Public Health Act (Northern Ireland) 1967.

As a result, an effective response to the public health emergency requires all four governments both to take action within their own areas of responsibility and to coordinate their actions.

Grumpy_chap

Well, that is interesting but does not explain how Wales has different rules from England if returning from Greece as the rules for both would be set by  Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984 (as amended by the Health Protection Act 2008).