All arrivals to Scotland from outside the Common Travel Area must
book and pay for managed isolation in quarantine hotels to help
protect against the importation of Coronavirus (COVID-19) from 15
February.
Six hotels close to Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow airports with
a combined capacity of 1,300 rooms will be used to implement the
quarantine at a cost of £1,750 per individual traveller. Final
costs for those not travelling alone are currently being worked
through, as well as the details for a Managed Isolation Welfare
Fund which will be launched for those who cannot afford the
charge.
All arrivals must quarantine for at least ten days and will be
tested twice for the virus – once on day two and once on day
eight after arrival.
Existing travel exemptions will be strengthened, including
limiting overseas training for elite sportspeople to athletes and
coaches preparing for the Olympics and Paralympics.
A small number of arrivals will not be required to isolate, such
as those involved in essential supply chains for goods coming
into Scotland.
The Scottish Government will continue to engage with airports and
discussions to secure a four nations approach to contracting the
security, transport and accommodation services required are
already under way.
As regulations to support the introduction of managed isolation
are developed a range of offences and penalties to help ensure
compliance will be considered.
It is still the case that all non-essential international travel
is not permitted.
In a statement to Parliament the Transport Secretary urged the UK
Government to match the comprehensive approach being taken by the
Scottish Government.
Transport Secretary said:
“To manage the risk of importing new variants, and to give
vaccine deployment the best chance of bringing us closer to
normality here in Scotland, we have to place further limits on
international travel.
“The UK Government has only committed to adopting this for
travellers returning from “red list” countries. However, we know
that is not sufficient and we will go further.
“The clinical advice is clear that a comprehensive system of
managed quarantine is essential to minimise the impact of new
COVID-19 variants."
Background
Coronavirus (COVID-19):
international travel and quarantine - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
Managed isolation will apply to travellers arriving from outwith
the Common Travel Area (CTA) a long-standing arrangement between
the UK, the Crown Dependencies (Bailiwick of Jersey, Bailiwick of
Guernsey and the Isle of Man) and Ireland.
The Scottish Government will create an aviation working group to
address the issues the sector is facing.
