The PM's Covid-O committee meets on Tuesday afternoon to agree enforced hotel quarantining for arrivals in the UK - British and foreign - for 10 days. A huge move that "pretty much closes the borders”, says one Govt source. But I'm told much still to be decided on the details (1)
The biggest unresolved issue among Cabinet ministers is who must quarantine? The options are down to two. 1. Targeted: only travellers who've been in high risk countries - backed by Raab and Shapps - or 2. Blanket: all coming into the UK - favoured by Patel and Hancock (2)
But there are many other questions also vexing ministers tonight. High among them, how long should it last? Ensuring a vaccine exists for every variant first could mean a very, very long time. Some ministers tonight want a defined exit strategy to stop it being never-ending (3)
Then there is whether to exempt anyone, from job creating businessmen to compassionate cases coming for a funeral? Plus, all travellers must pick up the £100 a night tab themselves, but shouldn't the state pick up the bill of a penniless returning NGO worker? (4)
That hypothetical was passed around Whitehall at length today I hear. Then there is the capacity issue, with just 10,000 hotel rooms around Heathrow and 8,000 daily arrivals a day (which will drop). Should arrivals be limited to room numbers are available? (5)
How also do you stop hotels from coming covid incubation centres where the virus quickly spreads among all? And when do you introduce the policy, after a grace period that sparks a stampede to get home, with some new variant cases among them? (6)
Finally, what more will Govt need to do to support the tourism and aviation sectors that will be decimated yet further by it? All in, a catchy idea but a giant headache of a policy to implement with tank traps in front of it everywhere. More on @TimesRadio after 7am (7)
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