Denmark has been officially removed from the list of countries exempt from quarantine requirements in the UK. This decision was made following the discovery of a mutated form of Covid-19 in Danish mink farms that can also infect humans.
Reason for Removal
The move was prompted by health authorities in Denmark who reported widespread outbreaks of coronavirus in mink farms, with a variant strain of the virus spreading to local communities.
New Quarantine Requirements
As a result, individuals arriving in the UK from Denmark after 4 a.m. on a specified Friday are required to self-isolate for a period of 14 days. This decision is based on the recommendation of the chief medical officer and is considered a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of the virus to the UK.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps stated, “I understand that this will be concerning for both people currently in Denmark and the wider UK public, which is why we have moved quickly to protect our country and prevent the spread of the virus to the UK.”
Testing and Reducing Quarantine Period
Additionally, Grant Shapps introduced a task force to explore options for reducing the 14-day quarantine period for individuals arriving from non-exempt locations. One potential solution being considered is a “test and release regime” that would still require a quarantine period of at least a week.
Denmark had only been added to the list of quarantine-exempt countries on October 25. The removal of Denmark from this list follows similar actions taken against Germany and Sweden, which now require travelers to the UK from those countries to quarantine for two weeks.
