Travelers to England Can Face a 10-Year Jail Term Under New COVID-19 Policy

Travelers Returning To The UK From Red List Countries Required To Self Isolate

(Photo : Getty Images/Hollie Adams)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 30: Travelers arrive at Heathrow Terminal 2 on January 30, 2021 in London, England. The UK government has added flights from the UAE to the "red list" of countries banned from flying into the UK. The Department for Transport says the aim is "to prevent the spread of the new variant (of Covid) originally identified in South Africa into the UK". British nationals and those with legitimate reasons to travel will be allowed into the UK but will be required to isolate for 10 days.

Ten years of prison sentence will be imposed on any traveler who visits England from a "red list" country.

The United Kingdom's Health Secretary Matt Hancock was referred to in the new COVID-19 guideline that was implemented on Monday.

10-Year Jail Sentence

According to Hancock, "We are coming down hard on people who provide false information on the passenger locator form. Anyone who lies on the passenger locator form and tries to conceal that they have been in a country on the 'red list' in the ten days before arrival here, will face a prison sentence of up to ten years," reported Fox News.

A maximum of 10 years worth of imprisonment will be imposed for lying about recent travel history, which has been defended by the government.

According to Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, the British public would expect quite a strong action, and the maximum sentence reflects the severity of the crime, reported BBC.

The Transport Secretary has defended plans for a jail term of up to 10 years for returning travelers who attempt to evade rigid novel coronavirus quarantine rules.

Ministers have faced allegations that the penalties for United Kingdom nationals returning from susceptible destinations who lie about their actions are "disproportionate," reported Belfast Telegraph.

According to Hancock, from Monday, residents of the United Kingdom and Ireland arriving in England from the places on the government's "red list" will have to buy a "quarantine package" that costs 1,750 pounds ($2,400) per individual and covers virus testing, accommodation, and other items.

He said individuals not acting in accordance with the rules, including those arriving from a red list country without a hotel booked, also could be imposed a series of fines.

Also Read: WHO: COVID-19 Unlikely to Have Originated from Wuhan Lab

Hancock stated he makes no apologies for the strength of such guidelines because they are dealing with one of the most serious threats to our public health they are facing as a nation. He added individuals who flout these rules are making them vulnerable to the virus, reported Bahrain News Agency.

Britons are advised not to book holidays at home or abroad as it defended the new hotel quarantine policy from criticism from senior Conservatives.

The rigid new measures were declared on Tuesday for travelers coming into England in an effort to thwart the prevalence of new variants of the coronavirus.

There are 33 countries, such as Portugal, South Africa, and all of South America, from where travel to England is prohibited largely due to concerns over new variants of the virus.

In the previous week, Hancock made headlines when he stated in an interview that the 2011 movie "Contagion" contributed to influence his approach on how to disseminate the COVID-19 vaccine effectively in the United Kingdom.

The tough action was denounced by former Supreme Court judge Lord Sumption who remarked lower tariffs exist for sex offenses.

Strong action, according to Shapps, was required to prevent new COVID-19 mutations from entering the country. This potentially undermines the inoculation program.

New border measures also necessitate international arrivals to pay for extra tests during their isolation period and strengthen enforcement for those who lie regarding where they have arrived from.