#15,542
With a high degree of uncertainty over just how serious the recently announced Denmark variant COVID virus might be - and the lack of data on how many people may already have been infected - yesterday the Danish government ordered 270,000 residents in North Denmark To Lockdown Over Mutated Coronavirus Concerns.
As a further precaution, yesterday the UK government announced that travelers coming from anywhere in Denmark were to self-isolate for 14 days upon arrival (see below).
But overnight, the UK government has decided to impose a complete travel ban - starting today - from all of Denmark. All but essential travel to Denmark from the UK is being strongly discouraged as well.
Foreign travel advice DenmarkThe FCDO advises against all but essential travel to:
Denmark based on the current assessment of COVID-19 risks. The FCDO is not advising against travel to the Faroe Islands and Greenland.
First yesterday's announcement:
Transport secretary statement on Denmark
From 4am Friday 6 November, people arriving in the UK from Denmark will need to self-isolate.
Published 6 November 2020
I have taken the swift decision to urgently remove Denmark from the government’s travel corridor list as a precautionary measure given recent developmentsPassengers arriving into the UK from Denmark from 4am on Friday 6 November 2020 (today) will need to self-isolate for 14 days by law before following domestic restrictions now in force.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.
While the UK appears to be the first nation to impose a complete travel ban on arrivals from Denmark, unless and until we know more about the threat from this new COVID strain, it is unlikely to be the last.
The expanded travel ban order, issued today, follows:
Travel ban implemented to protect public health following Denmark COVID-19 mink outbreak
From 4am, Saturday 7 November visitors from Denmark arriving in the UK will be denied entry.
Published 7 November 2020
From:Department for Transport and The Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP
- visitors from Denmark arriving in the UK from 4am Saturday 7 November will be denied entry
- British Nationals, visa holders and permanent residents who have travelled to Denmark in the last 14 days will have to self-isolate along with their household
- further measures regarding freight to be announced over the weekend
The government has responded urgently to the latest developments by bringing in a number of measures. From 4am, Saturday 7 November 2020, the Home Office is implementing immigration powers meaning visitors arriving into the UK from Denmark will not be permitted entry into the UK. This excludes freight and hauliers.
The decision to act quickly follows the release of further information from health authorities in Denmark reporting widespread outbreaks of coronavirus (COVID-19) in mink farms, with a variant strain of the virus spreading to some local communities.
Yesterday the Department for Transport announced that Denmark would no longer be on the UK’s travel corridors list. We are also now expanding the self-isolation requirements for Denmark. From 4am on 7 November, British Nationals, or residents, who are returning to the UK directly or indirectly from Denmark will need to self-isolate along with all other members of their household until 2 weeks have passed since they were last in Denmark. Unlike other travel to the UK, there will be no exemptions to this quarantine policy.
For those who arrived before 4am on 7 November, we are also asking anyone who has been in Denmark in the last 14 days, to self-isolate along with their households. The length of that self-isolation will depend on when travellers were last in Denmark, and those affected will be contacted with advice via the means detailed on their passenger locator forms completed on arrival to the UK.
Anyone who has returned from Denmark within the last 2 weeks will be contacted to ensure they complete the self-isolation needed to ensure the virus does not spread across the UK.
The UK government is working closely with international partners to understand the changes in the virus that have been reported in Denmark and we are conducting a programme of further research here in the UK to inform our risk assessments.
All travellers, including British Nationals and residents who are returning from Denmark, will be required to show a complete passenger locator form on arrival into the UK. This is critical in being able to track the virus in case of any local outbreaks. Yesterday the Home Office announced they would step up Border Force presence to ensure that those arriving to the UK from Denmark were compliant with the new restrictions.
The travel ban and expanded self-isolation requirements will be reviewed after one week.
Decisions on border measures and travel advice can be changed rapidly if necessary to help stop the spread of the disease and further announcements regarding freight will be made later today.
The Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel) (England) (Amendment) (No. 23) Regulations 2020 (PDF, 172KB, 2 pages)
