High-value business travellers to England to be exempt from quarantine

New rules coming into force on Saturday include countries on government’s red list

A member of flight crew walks past a sign directing people to a Covid-19 testing site adjacent to Terminal 1 of Manchester Airport. AFP

Nurse David Spicer carries out a test on a member of staff at Manchester Airport. Reuters

Travel services firm Collinson are offering paid-for Covid tests at their airport locations in Manchester, East Midlands and London for passengers whose destination country require them. Reuters

David Spicer, of travel services firm Collinson, prepares to conduct a Covid-19 test. AFP

Travellers walk past signage directing passengers to the testing site. AFP

Members of the public wait at Terminal 1 of Manchester Airport. AFP

Disposable face masks are displayed for sale in Terminal 1 of Manchester Airport. AFP

A Covid-19 test is conducted on a member of staff at Manchester Airport. AFP

“High-value” business travellers arriving in England will be exempt from self-isolation under a loosening of coronavirus travel restrictions.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the move was intended to allow more travel to support the economy and jobs.

The exemption comes into force at 4am on December 5 and applies to all countries, even those on the government’s “red list”.

It also includes special groups, including professional performers, journalists and others who, if they meet certain conditions, will not have to isolate on arrival.

As things stand, all passengers arriving in England from abroad are required to isolate for 14 days unless they are coming from a country included on a safe travel list.

Business Secretary Alok Sharma defended the decision to exempt high-level business travellers from quarantine.

He told BBC Breakfast: "Of course we have discussed this with the Department of Health and Public Health England and they have said, given the numbers involved, this is not going to have additional health risk to people in this country.

"This is about protecting jobs and bringing investments into our country."

The UAE and Bahrain are among the countries on the air corridor list. There have been no additions or removals.

The Department for Transport said that the high-value business exemption would apply to people undertaking specific business that would deliver a significant benefit to the economy.

This includes activity that creates or preserves 50 or more UK jobs, it said.

Travellers will only be exempt while conducting specific business and will only be able to meet others as required by those activities.

"Exemptions will also come into force at the same time for domestic and international performing arts professionals, TV production staff, journalists and recently signed elite sportspersons, ensuring that industries which require specific, high-talent individuals who rely on international connections can continue to complete their work," the ministry said.

It said further information would be available on the government website when the exemptions came into force.

The government previously announced that the quarantine rules would change for all passengers on December 15.

Travellers would have the option of taking a Covid-19 test after five days of self-isolation.

If the result is negative, they will then be released.

Penalties for those breaching the self-isolation rules when returning from non-exempt countries include £1,000 ($1,345) for first offences and up to £10,000 for subsequent offences.

“[Public Health England] do not anticipate these changes will raise the risk of domestic transmission, due to the protocols being put in place around these exemptions," the ministry said.

"However, all exemptions will remain under review.

“All travellers, including those from exempt destinations, will still be required to show a complete passenger locator form on arrival in the UK unless they fall into a small group of exemptions."