Greater Manchester Police (GMP) have confirmed that since Wednesday 22nd July, the UK Border Force had sent them 263 quarantine requests regarding travellers from overseas who had not responded to self-isolation requirements.
Except for specific countries, anyone entering the UK from overseas has to self-isolate for 14 days to ensure that anyone who is carrying the virus does not pass it on.
Individuals who have been told to self-isolate could be contacted by Public Health England to make sure that they are following the life-saving guidelines.
But if the individual who has been told to self-isolate does not respond to public health officials, then their details are passed to the police by the Border Force.
Officers then are tasked to call on the address which has been given to health officials and Border Force agents by the individual who is self-isolating to make sure that they are sticking to the rules.
Each force is different, but GMP officers, having visited an address and made contact with the individual who is supposed to be self-isolating, will adopt a technique known as ‘the four E’s: engage, explain, encouraging and then, lastly, enforcing’.
This process takes up a considerable amount of police time and can often reduce a division’s ability to carry on with its regular police work.
A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police confirmed that officers have thus far visited 263 individuals who have been told to self-isolate and have issued two fixed penalty notices concerning repeated breaches of the regulations.
GMP Superintendent Andrew Sidebotham said:
“It’s really important for people to self-isolate for the full 14 days when coming back to the UK as it can take this length of time for symptoms of COVID-19 to develop.
“During this time you could unknowingly pass the virus on to others, even if you don’t have symptoms.
“When contacted by PHE please respond as once a case is referred to police, it takes up a number of resources in order to visit the address and make contact with the individual.
“As well as this officers are putting their health at risk by visiting someone who could potentially be carrying the virus.
“A risk that is preventable if everyone self-isolates as required.”
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