Up to 205,000 passengers from countries with new variant could arrive in UK before hotel quarantine 

Up to 205,000 passengers from countries with confirmed new variant cases are expected to enter the UK before hotel quarantine is enforced, The Telegraph can disclose.

Passenger data show that 22,000 Britons will enter from the 33 “red list” countries from which foreign travel is banned in the three weeks between Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, announcing the policy and the first hotels opening on Feb 15.

A further 183,600 passengers will have entered the UK from 27 other countries where Brazilian or south African variant cases have been confirmed, including Spain which has imposed border restrictions with Portugal because of its close links with Brazil.

The disclosure will fuel demands for the number of countries subject to hotel quarantine to be widened, with Labour and the devolved administrations demanding that all arrivals should be subject to mandatory self-isolation managed by the Government.

Nick Thomas-Symonds, the shadow home secretary, said: “Not only are the measures far too slow to begin - 50 days after the South African strain emerged - they are also dangerously inadequate.”

Grant Shapps, the Transport Secretary, has signalled that hotel quarantine could be extended beyond the 33 countries that are primarily in south America and southern Africa but also include the United Arab Emirates ( a major airport hub for Africa) as well as Portugal and Cape Verde.

The other countries with variants include Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Cuba, Denmark, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, South Korea, Sweden, Taiwan, United States and Vietnam.

A bidding document for the hotels also acknowledged: “Given the exceptional nature of this activity the red list countries are likely to be subject to change and suppliers should be aware that flexibility around requirements is required.”

The Government is seeking to reserve up to 28,000 rooms for an “initial” quarantine period from Feb 15 to March 31 and industry insiders are confident ministers will be able to confirm that it has achieved its target this week. Government officials estimate 1,425 passengers a day will require hotel quarantine. 

Four of the biggest hotel operators - Accor, Hilton, IHG and Best Western - are understood to have submitted plans offering thousands of rooms where Britons returning from the 33 red list countries will self-isolate for 10 days.

Kate Nicholls, the chief executive for UKHospitality, believed the main operators would be able to bring mothballed hotels back online at the key travel hubs near Heathrow, Eurostar and Dover. “It looks as though there is no problem,” she said.

Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, will this week announce all arrivals will be required to have Covid tests on the second and eighth day of quarantine - and scrap “test and release” which allowed people to leave self-isolation on the fifth day if they tested negative for Covid.

It is understood the airlines have recommended a fast track channel at airports for those heading for quarantine hotels to enable passengers to be identified and avoid mingling while going through border controls.

The Government is expected to foot the £55million initial bill for the hotel accommodation before recouping the money from passengers. It is not clear how far officials will go in pursuing non-payers through the courts.