Mr Wong and Kiernan were able to leave the quarantine-hotel at Edinburgh Airport after just one day because they flew from America via Dublin. It comes after officials accidentally told them they must quarantine instead of self-isolating at home in Fife. Currently all international arrivals in Scotland must self-isolate in hotels for 10 days. But in England the travel quarantine only applies to arrivals from 33 ‘red list’ countries.
The father and daughter duo were among the first international travellers to go into a quarantine-hotels in Scotland following a change to the travel rules on Monday.
But this was a mistake as Mr Wong flew via Dublin. The new travel quarantine restrictions do not apply to those arriving in the UK from Ireland.
Mr Wong and Kiernan were over the moon when they found out they didn’t have to quarantine.
He told the BBC: “I received a call from reception saying gentleman for airport would like to talk to me in person.
“He said that since I landed in Dublin first and then connected a flight to here, I was not required to quarantine in the hotel.
“My emotions are relieved, I’m relieved.
“If it needs to be done it needs to be done, but to find out it doesn’t need to be done makes relieved that I can go home and self quarantine.”
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Anyone arriving in the UK from a ‘red list’ country must quarantine for 10 days. Those who fail to quarantine can face fines of up to £10,000. You could also face 10 years in prison for lying on your passenger locator form in a bid to protect the UK from new Covid variants.
The 30 ‘red list’ travel destinations include southern Africa, all of South America and Portugal.
Mr Wong is now hoping he will be given a refund for the hotel stay he did not need.
Additional reporting Lorraine King and Kirsty Feerick.
