Crowds at Heathrow Airport spark ‘surperspreading’ complaints and social distancing concerns

People queue at terminal 5 of Heathrow Airport on Friday

(PIA JOSEPHSON via REUTERS)

Scenes of big crowds at Heathrow sparked concerns about a lack of social distancing and the potential for coronavirus “superspreading” at the airport.

Pictures emerged on social media of tightly packed queues of people at border patrol in Heathrow Airport on Friday.

Labour’s shadow health secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds called on the Government to “get a grip” of the situation.

Watch: COVID-19 - Crowds at Heathrow Airport spark social distancing concerns

A spokesperson for Heathrow pointed out that immigration halls are controlled by Border Force officials, who are helping to implement new rules around negative Covid tests for passengers, and not by airports.

He added: “We’ve been clear since last May really that social distancing in an airport environment isn’t really possible.

“To put that in context, if you had one aircraft of let’s say 300 people, you’d need a queue about 1km long to socially distance just one aircraft, which is why last summer we mandated face coverings in the airport.”

Senior diplomat Sir Peter Westmacott shared an image of the airport’s terminal 2 on Friday afternoon.

“No ventilation. Long delays. Superspreading,” said Sir Peter on Twitter.

T2 Heathrow Friday afternoon. No ventilation. Long delays. Superspreading. pic.twitter.com/iIUl0DyURX

— Peter Westmacott (@PeterWestmacott) January 22, 2021

One social media user said they overheard a Border official saying “he had already issued three £500 fines for noncompliance”.

Long queues at Heathrow this morning as new Covid checks come into force - I heard one Border Official saying he had already issued three £500 fines for noncompliance pic.twitter.com/5yt8jTBbgD

— Graeme Culliford (@gculliford) January 18, 2021

Another Twitter user said they were concerned they “might get Covid” at Heathrow.

“Every arriving passenger is penned together [with] no space to distance. Feels like the Government is literally trying to give people Covid. Surely, there is a safer way to do this,” she said.

After 7 weeks out of the U.K. & 10 months of being v careful, I think I might get Covid at #heathrow. Every arriving passenger is penned together w/ no space to distance. Feels like the Government is literally trying to give people Covid. Surely, there is a safer way to do this. pic.twitter.com/3OGyM4Vc2y

— Genevieve Scoville (@GenScoville) January 23, 2021

Labour’s Nick Thomas-Symonds said the scenes were “incredibly worrying”.

“The Conservatives’ indecision and incompetence has left holes in our country’s defences,” said the shadow health secretary.

“There’s no clear strategy in place and they are lurching from one crisis to another.

“The scenes at airports are incredibly worrying, with no social distancing and clearly risking transmission of yet more strains of this awful virus.

“Ministers need to get a grip to protect our country’s health.”

A Government spokesperson said: “We are in a national lockdown to protect the NHS and save lives. People should not be travelling unless absolutely necessary. You must have proof of a negative test and a completed passenger locator form before arriving. Border Force have been ramping up enforcement and those not complying could be fined £500.

“It’s ultimately up to individual airports to ensure social distancing on site.”

It comes as Boris Johnson suggested more may have to be done to “protect our borders” amid fears that coronavirus variants found in South Africa and Brazil may be less susceptible to Covid-19 vaccines.

“We may need to go further to protect our borders,” he said on Friday.

“We don’t want to put that (efforts to control the virus) at risk by having a new variant come back in.”

Additional reporting by PA Media.

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