Ban on entry introduced for visitors from Denmark

Ministers have agreed on the basis of advice from senior clinical advisers to introduce further travel controls on travellers who have been in Denmark in the previous 14 days. This follows four nations talks on Friday.

The Home Office has implemented immigration powers meaning visitors arriving into the UK from Denmark will not be permitted entry into the UK.

In addition, regulations now require all UK nationals or residents returning to the UK from Denmark to isolate for 14 days.  This will apply to both the individual traveller and their household. Unlike travel into the UK from other countries, there will be no exemptions to this quarantine policy.

All measures relating to Denmark will be in place for one week, and will be reviewed in light of emerging evidence on the public health risks.

Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf said:

“These steps are a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of a variant strain of coronavirus which we are still in the early stages of learning about. The decision has been taken on clinical advice to help further safeguard public health and keep communities safe.”

Scotland’s Chief Medical Officer Dr Gregor Smith said:

“This is a new strain and it is appropriate that we err on the side of caution. We do not want to see transmission of this strain in this country and it is imperative that anybody who has recently travelled from Denmark, and their household, should self-isolate for 14 days and follow the guidance laid out by the Scottish Government. If needed, they should contact NHS 24.”

Work will also be undertaken to contact individuals who have recently arrived in the country from Denmark in the last 14 days to provide further advice and guidance.

Background

The enhanced border health measures are a precautionary move to prevent the spread of a variant strain of the coronavirus associated with outbreaks in mink farms in Denmark.

Regulations, now published and introducing the enhanced quarantine requirements on all UK nationals or residents returning to Scotland from Denmark, and their households – to isolate for 14 days – came into force at 4.00 a.m. on Saturday 7^th November and will be laid in the Scottish Parliament.

The Scottish Government will be working with the other three nations to explore what other measures may be necessary to safeguard public health.

Public health rules for international travel are an important part of Scotland’s wider response to the pandemic to limit the introduction of new chains of transmission.

All international travellers arriving into Scotland, apart from a very limited number of individual exemptions, must complete a passenger locator form and provide evidence that they have done so on arrival in the UK if requested to do so by a Border Force official. This includes people arriving from countries where quarantine is subsequently not required. Failure to do so can also result in a fine since this, along with any failure to self-isolate where required, poses a significant risk to wider public health across Scotland.

Individuals who do not complete the form and present it when asked on arrival may be fined £60. The fine can be doubled for each subsequent offence up to a maximum of £480.

Failure to comply with the requirement to quarantine may result in a fine of more than £480.

Those travelling abroad should check in advance for any local requirements to quarantine on arrival at their destination. Further information about the foreign travel public health rules, including quarantine requirements, can be read on the Scottish Government website. This includes the existing list of overseas destinations where those arriving in Scotland are exempt from self-isolation.