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Quarantine on arrivals is harming economic recovery, businesses warn

Heathrow - ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP 
Heathrow - ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP

Britain's two-week quarantine rule threatens the economy's ability to bounce back from a deep recession and must be reformed as soon as possible, businesses have warned.

As ministers prepare to allow travel to and from some low-risk countries without quarantine via an ‘air bridge’ scheme, bosses warned that the proposals must go ahead without further delay.

A survey by the Institute of Directors (IoD) found 86pc of businesses believe the quarantine will have a negative effect on the economy by making short trips impossible.

Travel to the EU is considered most important for businesses, with 71pc saying a preferential travel deal with the bloc is key. North America is the next priority and a focus for 38pc of companies.

Most of the discussion on air bridges has focused on summer holidays, which are the centre of a significant industry themselves, but travel is also vital for other industries from manufacturing to finance.

'Air bridges': The likely destinations
'Air bridges': The likely destinations

Companies responding to the survey said it is hard to hold meetings, visit suppliers and customers, and see investors or subsidiaries with a quarantine in place.

The rules also have serious implications when foreign specialists and engineers are needed – for instance, to work on factory equipment – as a two-week quarantine at each end of a trip could extend a three-day visit into a 31-day ordeal.

Allie Renison, of the IoD, said: “While the government is striving to put public health first, there is widespread confusion across industry over the reasons and timeline choices for these measures, the impact of which cuts across many different sectors.

“Our members are in particular deeply concerned about the effect of quarantine on the economy. Preferential arrangements with other countries can’t come soon enough as part of the Government’s recovery strategy.

“It should come as no surprise that the EU is by far and away the top priority for directors, but with other trade negotiations in play the government should take the opportunity to discuss mobility with other partners too.”