Quarantine hotels in the UK opened to their first guests on Monday, but some guests staying in them have expressed concerns about their safety, the cost and whether the system works.
Everyone who has visited or transited through 33 countries on the UK’s “red list” who arrive in England must stay 11 nights in a quarantine hotel.
One guest said it was “like prison”.
The system does not apply in Northern Ireland or Wales and is stricter in Scotland.
In Scotland, any international arrivals have to stay in a hotel, regardless of which country they arrive from and there are currently no international flights into Northern Ireland or Wales.
Wilber Santos was among the first passengers to arrive in the UK on Monday morning from a red list country. He had travelled from Brazil, where he was looking after his elderly parents, via Madrid and on to Heathrow.
Although he says he is not against quarantine hotels and fully understands the need to isolate, he felt that the system was flawed: “On board the plane from Madrid I was sitting with people who had not been in a high-risk country.
‘When we arrived, I had to board a crowded transit shuttle to the terminal. It was absolutely packed with people, some from high-risk countries, others from lower risk. It is a frustrating system, it doesn’t follow logic.”
Heathrow airport says the process the government has designed “triages passengers at Heathrow between aircraft gate and the immigration hall, where those from the red list are directed into a dedicated channel”.
Mr Santos says he ran into problems with the system before his journey began.
All arrivals to the UK must fill in a passenger locator form stating their contact details and whether they have been in a red list country in the last 10 days. But while filing out the form, Mr Santos said the system was caught in a technical loop which meant he wasn’t able to complete all his details.
“When I arrived at the border, the immigration staff were very aggressive. I tried to explain the situation, but was repeatedly told ‘you have to pay a fine’. It was the first day of the policy, I understand they need to do their job, but there has to be some humanity in the system.”
The government said in response that “the pre-departures website is clear that anyone experiencing difficulties with the passenger locator form can call the form and self-isolation helpline for guidance”.
It added: “Every step is taken to reduce risks throughout the journey, including Covid-19 tests prior to departure, mandatory mask wearing, social distancing and regular cleaning of facilities.”