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Travellers put into hotel quarantine after arriving in England will be allowed out of their rooms, prompting criticism that safety standards will be “lower” than expected.
Fresh air and cigarette breaks will be permitted and – unlike in Australia – there will be no regular testing of staff or compulsory wearing of the highest-grade surgical masks.
The details of the system, being introduced for 33 ‘red list’ countries on Monday, led to a Home Office minister being asked why the restrictions fell short of the “gold standard” anticipated.
“Is the virus not as troublesome in this country as it is in Australia?” Victoria Atkins was asked on BBC Breakfast. “Why are our standards lower than that?”
But Ms Atkins defended what she called “occasional gulps of fresh air”, insisting: “I think these are very, very strong measures.”
The minister also said Boris Johnson would take into account the willingness of the public to endure a longer lockdown, as well as the advice of scientists, when deciding when to lift it.
“The prime minister has this very difficult balancing act of keeping the public with us, keeping us all united in wanting to stick to the rules,” Ms Atkins told Sky News.
The looser restrictions than in Australian emerged as that country announced a five-day lockdown because of a Covid-19 outbreak – triggered by a quarantine worker who became infected at a hotel.
Earlier outbreaks were caused by guests and staff mingling and epidemiologists have highlighted infections spreading to the community when guests have opened their doors.
But Ms Atkins said: “The hotel will of course be adhering to all of the very strict measures that we have in place in relation to social distancing and face masks and so on.
“Apart from anything else, we know that being outside is less likely to transmit than being inside.
“I think allowing someone a gulf of fresh air, during a 10-day visit in a hotel – with all the very strict measures that we have – I think, is reasonable.”
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