Passengers arriving in the UK from Brazil as of this Monday (15) must have booked ten hotel days for mandatory quarantine, priced at 1,750 pounds (just over R $ 13,000) – more than 650 pounds per additional adult and 325 pounds per child from 5 to 12 years old. A couple with one child will therefore pay the equivalent of R $ 20,353. Reservations must be made in advance through a UK government portal.
The rule applies to travelers from 33 countries that are part of a “red list”, as they have a strong circulation of more contagious variants (in Scotland, all entrants, regardless of their origin, will have to limit themselves to hotels during ten days) . Passengers will be taken directly from their arrival to the hotels where they will be confined.
Anyone caught trying to escape quarantine could be fined up to £ 10,000 (R $ 74,700) and lying by filling out the tracing form could face 10 years in prison, according to the British government.
In addition to having a negative result for the coronavirus in a test carried out no more than 72 hours before boarding, the passenger will have to make two more mandatory, one on the second day of the quarantine and another on the tenth day. In an interview on Monday (15), UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said travelers will have to pay for additional accommodation if any of the tests are positive and more isolation time is needed.
Asked by the BBC, Brazilian Roger Gonçalves, 23, who lives in London and works as a driver, complained about the price charged for the compulsory quarantine, which he considered “mad for only ten days”. About half of the total cost goes to a hotel, which means an average daily rate of £ 70 (R $ 500). The rest covers the security service which will monitor quarantines, transport from the airport to accommodation and mandatory testing, according to ITV
Gonçalves, who arrived in London from São Paulo, with a stopover in Madrid, said the trip was essential as he has to return to work. Although he complained about the price, he told the UK broadcaster the venue “wasn’t bad at all”, but he had yet to try the food, which would be left at his doorstep.
The United Kingdom has signed an agreement with 16 hotels, which guarantees the supply of almost 5,000 rooms. Confined people can leave the room for exercise or in the event of a medical or family emergency – such as the death of a loved one, for example. Exceptions must however be authorized in advance by the government.
The system has been criticized for the difficulty in separating passengers coming from red zones from those arriving from other places at airports and for delays in other services. According to the government, although isolation of passengers was not possible, measures were taken to reduce the risk, such as mandatory tests before boarding, the use of masks and better hygiene at the airport.
For those arriving in England from a location other than the 33 countries, it will also be necessary to do ten days of quarantine and two tests, on the second and eighth day, but there will be no specific location or overt surveillance. The tests will cost 210 pounds (R $ 1,570), and trying to avoid them will result in a fine of 2,000 pounds (around R $ 15,000).