The UK government has
announced an exemption from quarantine for business travellers arriving in England who “deliver
significant benefit” to the UK economy from 4am on Saturday 5 December.
It said that individuals “undertaking specific
business activity which would deliver a significant benefit to the UK economy
– including activity that creates or preserves 50+ UK jobs
– will no longer need to self-isolate when travelling or returning from
non-exempt countries”.
The government added that individuals would only be exempt when
undertaking the specific business activity and would only be able to meet with
others as required by that specific activity. Further information will
be made available when the exemptions come into force.
It added that domestic and international performing
arts professionals, TV production
staff, journalists, and recently signed elite sportspersons, would also be exempt
“ensuring that industries which require specific, high talent individuals who
rely on international connections can continue to complete their work”.
Clive Wratten, CEO of the BTA, said: “The announcement that government-selected categories of business travellers returning to the UK are exempt from quarantine is a step in the right direction. However, business travel takes many forms and all should be exempt.
"Engineers, humanitarian workers, retail buyers and many other professionals travelling for work are all crucial to the UK economy.”
Public Health England said it did not “anticipate these changes
will raise the risk of domestic transmission, due to the protocols being put in
place around these exemptions, however all exemptions will remain under review”.
European aviation bodies and public health authorities said yesterday that quarantine was not effective at the current time.