- Title: 'Rather scandalous': Quarantine rules anger French travellers to Britain
- Date: 2nd August 2021
- Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (AUGUST 2, 2021) (REUTERS) SIGN IN GARE DU NORD TRAIN STATION INDICATING PLATFORM FOR EUROSTAR AND SCREEN SHOWING TRAIN DEPARTURES / PEOPLE GOING UP ESCALATOR SIGNS FOR BOARDING, CUSTOMS, BORDER POLICE AND TICKET CONTROL / PEOPLE WALKING PAST POLICE FRENCH TRAVELLER TO BRITAIN, ALAIN JOURDAIN, TAKING OUT SPOON TO EAT SNACK AT WAITING AREA TRAVELLERS WITH THEIR LUGGAGE IN WAITING AREA (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH TRAVELLER TO BRITAIN, ALAIN JOURDAIN, SAYING: "We are going to England to see our children, whom we haven't seen since Christmas in 2019. And to go there, we must observe a 10-day quarantine, with two PCR tests after the end of the 10 days. This is extremely difficult, especially the forms to fill up for the British government. Meanwhile, things are happening in the silence between Britain and France. Our children, who were meant to see us at home, in retrospect, will not be coming, due to the imposed quarantine for those coming to France. It's absolutely ridiculous." EUROSTAR TERMINAL SIGN (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH TRAVELLER TO BRITAIN, ALAIN JOURDAIN, SAYING: "Especially since Boris Johnson has announced that the freedom to travel to Britain will be allowed for those who haven't seen their loved ones, so they can see them. It's rather scandalous for the French." EUROSTAR TRAIN AT PLATFORM (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH TRAVELLER TO BRITAIN, ALAIN JOURDAIN, SAYING: "It's not discrimination, it's simply political posturing between the two countries. That's all I can say." JOURDAIN AND HIS WIFE WALKING TOWARDS THE PLATFORM WITH THEIR LUGGAGE PEOPLE IN TRAIN STATION SIGN DETAILING MANDATORY STEPS FOR ENTERING BRITAIN PEOPLE OUTSIDE GARE DU NORD LA BAULE-ESCOUBLAC (RECENT - JULY 26, 2021) (REUTERS) (MUTE) VARIOUS DRONE SHOTS OF PEOPLE ON THE BEACH DRONE SHOT OF SEA VARIOUS DRONE SHOTS OF OF PEOPLE SUNBATHING ON THE BEACH DRONE SHOT OF HOUSES BY BEACH
- Embargoed: 16th August 2021 13:52
- Keywords: Britain Eurostar Gare du Nord holidays quarantine travel
- Location: PARIS AND LA BAULE-ESCOUBLAC, FRANCE
- City: PARIS AND LA BAULE-ESCOUBLAC, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Topics: Europe,Health/Medicine
- Reuters ID: LVA001EOL6G5J
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:French travellers heading to the United Kingdom are bothered by the 10-day quarantine requirement imposed by the British government.
The UK government decided in July to maintain quarantine rules for double-vaccinated travellers from France, even as it scrapped the requirement for travellers from other medium-risk "amber" countries, citing concern over cases of the Beta variant.
Alain Jourdain, who was taking a Eurostar train to London on Monday afternoon (August 2) to see his children, said it was "extremely difficult" to have to self-isolate for 10 days, take PCR tests and fill up all the paperwork required by the British government.
"Especially since Boris Johnson has announced that the freedom to travel to Britain will be allowed for those who haven't seen their loved ones, so they can see them. It's rather scandalous for the French," Jourdain said.
Britain's imposition of restrictions on travellers from France seems rather "excessive," France's junior European affairs minister Clement Beaune said last July 29, and that the decision was not based on scientific foundations.
Since July 18, travellers arriving in France from Britain are not required to go into self-isolation as long as they are fully vaccinated.
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