Covid UK: Dubai goes on the quarantine list

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Travellers returning to Britain from the United Arab Emirates after 4am today will have to quarantine following a 52 per cent surge in the number of Covid-19 cases there, Grant Shapps has announced.

Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Ajman, Fujairah, Umm Al-Quwain, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah have been added to the UK’s quarantine list – meaning social media stars at the Middle Eastern holiday hotspot will need to self-isolate for 10 days.

Passengers arriving from the UAE and all other international destinations will be required to present a negative coronavirus test 72 hours before arrival.  

They will also need to present this proof to carriers, along with their passenger locator form. The UK Border Force will conduct spot checks on arrival into England to ensure that passengers are fully compliant.  

Dubai has become a popular lockdown holiday destination for the social media elite with countless influencers and reality stars jetting off to the city for some winter sun.

In November, the UAE was added to the Government’s travel corridor list – meaning Britons could return to England and not need to quarantine. 

But on Sunday, Scotland ordered all arrivals from Dubai to self-isolate for 10 days from 4am on Monday after a surge in Covid cases in Dubai arrivals. 

It comes as Britain endured its deadliest week in the pandemic so far, with 529 people dying after testing positive for coronavirus.  

The Transport Secretary tweeted: ‘The LATEST data indicates we need to immediately remove the #UAE from the #TRAVELCORRIDOR list.

‘From 0400 Tuesday 12 Jan anyone arriving from the UAE will need to SELF-ISOLATE.’

The Department for Transport (DfT) said it will ‘take decisive action if necessary to contain the virus, including if the public health risk of people returning from a particular country without self-isolating becomes too high’. 

Lockdown measures remain in place, meaning everyone must stay at home unless travelling for a very limited set of reasons, including for work. 

This means people can no longer travel to take holidays or travel internationally unless for work or other legally permitted reasons. Those in breach of the rules face penalties starting at £200, rising to a maximum of £6,400.  

Celebrities understood to still be in Dubai include Love Island stars Jess Gale and Georgia Steel and Geordie Shore’s Chloe Ferry. 

Celebrities have been heavily criticised on social media for travelling over the festive period, with Kym Marsh hitting out at influencers travelling to Dubai amid the coronavirus restrictions in the UK.

The TV presenter, 44, admitted she was left unimpressed by photos on social media of reality stars living it up in the UAE while Britain is in the midst of its third lockdown.

Many stars have travelled to Dubai using a ‘work’ loophole but Ms Marsh admitted in her OK! magazine column she thinks work trips should be put off for the time being.  

One agent told the Mirror an unidentified star received ‘death threats in [their] direct messages’ following a recent trip to Dubai. 

They said: ‘It’s been relentless. We warned them not to travel abroad while a lot of the nation is under severe restrictions as it’s a terrible look, but they ignored it.’   

The source added that ‘work’ for influencers consists of ‘doing vlogs’ and ‘advertising diet drinks’, which allows the stars to travel in return for publicity.

They added: ‘But it has gone down like a lead balloon with their fans, and you have to wonder if it is really worth it.’  

Love Island stars are among those who have travelled to the UAE in recent months, with some jetting off while parts of the UK remained in strict Tier 3 and Tier 4 lockdown. 

However, others departed from areas under Tier 2 lockdown in December, when international travel was permitted.  

Before the third lockdown began, Love Islanders including Laura Anderson, Molly-Mae Hague, Maura Higgins, Amber Davies, Georgia Harrison and Kady McDermott, were all pictured in Dubai. 

The desert city has been an ideal choice for many as visitors aren’t currently required to quarantine upon their return to the UK.

Many stars have insisted their trips are for ‘work’, as the Government currently asks UK residents to avoid any non-essential travel. 

Many influencers have been forced to defend their actions to angry fans on social media after they were criticised for globetrotting during the pandemic, with the UK recording upwards of 68,000 Covid cases yesterday. 

In December, Molly-Mae Hague, 21, who flew to the Maldives following a break in Dubai with Tommy Fury, insisted she didn’t break any rules, as the couple left their Manchester home under Tier 2 restrictions.        

She said: ‘In response to the messages I’m already getting about us being away throughout this time… 

‘Please understand that Tommy and I left the UK from Cheshire which was in Tier 2 at the time. We didn’t break any rules coming away.

‘If we knew these rules were going to be put in place then obviously we would have never left the UK. 

‘The minute we arrive home we will be following government guidelines.’ 

Celtic were been rocked by the news 13 players and three members of their coaching staff have been forced to isolate after their controversial trip to Dubai.

Celtic spent six days in the UAE, where pictures emerged showing members of the squad not distancing or wearing face coverings. 

After being tested upon their return to Glasgow, they had one positive case in defender Christopher Jullien, who is currently injured for the next four months. Manager Neil Lennon and assistant John Kennedy are among those now isolating.

Nicola Sturgeon, who had questioned whether Celtic were following social distancing rules, said: ‘Elite sport has privileges and these privileges can’t be abused. I hope Celtic reflect seriously.’ 

This week, holidaymakers were warned that they may end up trapped in hotel rooms abroad for two weeks due to new rules preventing British tourists from travelling home if they test positive for coronavirus.  

Britons who test positive at the end of their holiday or business trip will have to follow that country’s local quarantine rules – which could mean up to two weeks confined to a hotel room in places such as Italy, Spain and Dubai. 

Travel expert Alex Macheras told the Mail on Sunday: ‘People need to remember that if you test positive in a foreign country then they will be bound by their local laws and may have to quarantine for up to two weeks.’

In Italy, travellers have to test negative twice before they are released from the country’s two-week quarantine. Dubai also has two-week isolation orders in place for infected people.

Spain has banned British tourists from flying there but those already in the country can fly back home. If they test positive they will have to quarantine at their hotel or holiday accommodation for 14 days.

Mr Macheras said: ‘If people are travelling in a global pandemic then they have to accept there’s going to be disruption and your trip could end up being much longer than you planned.’