ChatterBank0 min ago
Quarantine Is It Too Late?
I cannot see the reason a quarantine for travellers is being brought in now. Surely this should have been done, as in other countries, when “lockdown” was first implemented. Are we closing the stable door after the horse has bolted?
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it's fair to say that New Zealand have declared themselves virus-free - but they're continuing with closed borders, which has made a mess of their economy (mostly tourism rather than sheep these days), so I can see the economic reasoning for not quarantining if you don't have to. But I think it would saved a lot of lives to do it weeks ago.
We are where we are. Whether it should have been done earlier doesn't matter. The issue is should we do it now. And for those who wanted it before but say it's too late I wonder when they think it should have stopped.
It's often those who always disagree with the goverenmnt who argue this.
I think I've been consistent. I've never seen the point of a blanket but effectively voluntary quarantine system which still allows people to get plane , tube and coach/train home before quarantining. We would be better off forcibly quarantining people who broke lockdown rules/guidance and in known hotspots with high R values
It's often those who always disagree with the goverenmnt who argue this.
I think I've been consistent. I've never seen the point of a blanket but effectively voluntary quarantine system which still allows people to get plane , tube and coach/train home before quarantining. We would be better off forcibly quarantining people who broke lockdown rules/guidance and in known hotspots with high R values
I wonder when they think it should have stopped
ff, assuming "it" means open borders, I thought this before lockdown, watched how Australia have done - they closed their borders before anyone had died, iirc - and it's gone well, about 100 deaths in all, many of them because of an odd decision to let people off an infected cruise ship. As I mentioned in a previous post, it would have had economic consequences (and will do so now) but it saved lives. If Australia had imitated Britain they could have had 13,000 or so deaths.
ff, assuming "it" means open borders, I thought this before lockdown, watched how Australia have done - they closed their borders before anyone had died, iirc - and it's gone well, about 100 deaths in all, many of them because of an odd decision to let people off an infected cruise ship. As I mentioned in a previous post, it would have had economic consequences (and will do so now) but it saved lives. If Australia had imitated Britain they could have had 13,000 or so deaths.
Fiction-factory
From early February the government advised incoming passengers from specific hotspot countries, including Italy, Iran and parts of China, to self-isolate (it did not enforce quarantining). Then on 13th March, it inexplicably and abruptly stopped advising self isolation, and everyone from those countries were just let in.
From early February the government advised incoming passengers from specific hotspot countries, including Italy, Iran and parts of China, to self-isolate (it did not enforce quarantining). Then on 13th March, it inexplicably and abruptly stopped advising self isolation, and everyone from those countries were just let in.
//It is also uncertain how or if the quarantining will be enforced.//
As with many things Covid-related, it's a box-ticking exercise. ("we've introduced a quarantine - tick").
It cannot be enforced. Incoming travellers have to provide an address where they are going to stay for fourteen days (after they've spent an hour on the Piccadilly Line getting from Heathrow to, say, Kings Cross and then a further two or three hours travelling to the midlands or the north, that is - just as an example). When they get to the address they have provided the only way they will be detected breaking their quarantine is if they happen to be stopped whilst out. The police have no powers to enter the premises where they say they are isolating to check they are there and no powers to compel them to speak on the phone if they are contacted. It's a complete and utter farce.
As with many things Covid-related, it's a box-ticking exercise. ("we've introduced a quarantine - tick").
It cannot be enforced. Incoming travellers have to provide an address where they are going to stay for fourteen days (after they've spent an hour on the Piccadilly Line getting from Heathrow to, say, Kings Cross and then a further two or three hours travelling to the midlands or the north, that is - just as an example). When they get to the address they have provided the only way they will be detected breaking their quarantine is if they happen to be stopped whilst out. The police have no powers to enter the premises where they say they are isolating to check they are there and no powers to compel them to speak on the phone if they are contacted. It's a complete and utter farce.
