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A compulsory 14-day quarantine was enforced for travellers arriving in the UK. How is this checked/regulated?

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  • It might help to understand this by noting the official site gov.uk/uk-border-control does not say quarantine but says you must self-isolate
    – mmmmmm
    Commented Jun 22, 2020 at 11:35

3 Answers 3

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There isn’t a lot done to enforce this.

The UK Government website says:

You may also be fined up to ��1,000 if you refuse to self-isolate, or you could face further action.

This BBC article says:

New arrivals will be told they may be contacted at any time during their quarantine and, in England, may be visited by public health authorities conducting spot checks.

If you are planning to break the rules and you are not on the list of exempt people, then don’t. Don’t risk the fine and the health of others.

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  • Actually if later found out you broke it and infected another person, could you get charged with neglient homicidy or something like this?
    – lalala
    Commented Jun 22, 2020 at 14:25
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    @lalala Not sure about that. Might be worth asking on Law.SE?
    – Xnero
    Commented Jun 22, 2020 at 15:10
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UK Border Force will check that travellers fill out a Public Health Passenger Locator form with their contact details, location address and travel plans. You may be refused permission to enter the UK (if you are not a British citizen), or fined £100 in England, £60 elsewhere, if you do not provide your contact details or do not self-isolate when you arrive in the UK. Public health authorities and/or the police have the power to make surprise visits to check that travellers are following the quarantine rules. A breach of self-isolation would be punishable by a £1,000 fixed penalty notice (£480 in Scotland) or prosecution and an unlimited fine for persistent offenders.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-how-to-self-isolate-when-you-travel-to-the-uk/coronavirus-covid-19-how-to-self-isolate-when-you-travel-to-the-uk

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/06/21/rules-self-quarantine-uk-14-days-travel-holiday/

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This hould have been a comment, perhaps. But here's the universal truth

Just as any law violation (think about traffic...)

The same way police all around the world enforce law. They do all their routine activities to monitor their territory, spot people in violation, issue fines and, often, deliberately tell the press so that more people are aware that cops/bobbies are watching on them (deterrent effect).

Anyone in the UK, even a prime minister's advisor, can try to evade quarantine. Some were caught, some realistically not.

Just as pickpocketers are still around trying to to catch victims and not to be caught by the bobbies. And if you discover you have been driving 100mph unpunished for a few miles where no speed camera was installed, don't be proud of it, it's the rule.

It's up to the people to follow the rules. Those who don't "may", "likely" be caught. Not all the times.

Not worth trying the risk. Not ethical trying to.

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