In the ski resort of Verbier in Switzerland, hundreds of Britons arbitrarily left the hotel where they were supposed to be quarantined due to the epidemiological situation.
This was reported by The Telegraph with reference to sources.
According to the newspaper, the tourists had to be isolated in their rooms for 10 days. However, on Sunday, December 27, hotel workers informed the authorities that the British had left the complex, and at the same time they did not answer the calls.
Thus, out of 420 Britons, less than 10 people remained in the hotel by Easter.
Since midnight on December 20, the Swiss authorities have closed air traffic from Great Britain due to information about the discovery of a new strain of coronavirus in the United Kingdom, and also introduced a 10-day quarantine for Britons who have been in Switzerland since at least December 14.
Later, on December 24, the Swiss authorities announced that residents of Great Britain, including those placed in quarantine, can return to their families provided that all necessary measures are observed, as well as informing the local authorities about the type of transport they will use to get home.
The Director of Tourism of the Verbier resort, Simon Wiget, said in this regard that the rules are quite confusing.
"We had very little information, and we informed the tourists as much as we could," said Wiggett.
"We called all the hotels and tour operators and said that travelers from Great Britain should report themselves to the Swiss authorities," he added.
According to Wiggett, some tourists may have thought they were running away, but "most believed they were acting within the law."
"In general, people are honest and do not break the law on purpose. All this really confuses even us. The new rules were drawn up so hastily, and the situation changes so quickly, that tourists did everything they could," he noted.
It is believed that some British tourists went to France. Ski lifts in France are closed due to coronavirus restrictions, but pistes are open and skiers are allowed to ski, as well as ski up and down.
Since December 20, many European countries have closed their borders to travelers from Great Britain after the tightening of restrictions in London and Southern England due to the new strain of COVID-19. According to experts, the new variant of the coronavirus is 70% more infectious than the original strain.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 428 people have been diagnosed in Switzerland. infected, more than 7 thousand infected have died. At the same time, 317,6 thousand the sick have recovered.
