Guests in quarantine hotels near Heathrow ‘keep positive to beat boredom’

Guests forced to quarantine in hotels near Heathrow today said they were trying to “keep positive to avoid going cuckoo”.

All UK and Irish citizens who arrive after being in a high-risk Covid country now have to self-isolate in hotels for 10 days.

The “red list” of 33 countries includes Portugal, Brazil and South Africa.

One traveller, 66-year-old Zari Tadayon from north London is quarantining at the Radisson Blu Edwardian hotel near Heathrow. She arrived at the hotel at 2pm yesterday and said while her stay was “so far so good” she was trying to stay “positive” to help her not “go mad in these four walls.” She added: “This quarantining is the price on safety. I am a very positive person but I am worried I will go cuckoo. I am sure the time will pass — I will read books, do some writing, catch up with the news.”

The Londoner, who had been in Dubai visiting family, continued: “I must say the food has been good so far.”

Guidelines on the execution of the new “red list” rules were reportedly only given to Border Force staff a few hours before they came into force yesterday. A Government spokesman said: “We are in a global pandemic which is why every traveller is subject to enhanced monitoring at UK airports.”