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.
- 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.