Covid: NHS doctor slams 'appalling' quarantine hotel food
- Published
Heart specialist Dr Sanjay Gupta has been in quarantine at a London hotel since returning from Kenya on Friday
An NHS doctor self-isolating in a Covid quarantine hotel in London after visiting his dying father in Kenya says he is being "fleeced".
Dr Sanjay Gupta, a heart specialist in York, has been staying in a government-approved hotel for 10 days at a cost of £1,750.
He says he has been forced to clean his own room and given small portions of "appalling" food.
The government said its top priority was protecting the public.
Kenya is on the government's coronavirus red list, meaning those travelling from the country have to quarantine in a hotel.
Dr Gupta, who lives in South Cave, East Yorkshire, flew to Kenya on 2 March when the country was not on the red list. But since returning on Friday, he has been in quarantine at the Courtyard by Marriot hotel, near City airport, despite showing negative test results.
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He said he was surprised to see small portions of "really ugly meals" being served in a paper bag left outside his room including "only soup for lunch without any solids".
When he questioned the hotel why he could not have any solid food for lunch, he said he was told "that's how they like it in this country".
"I've lived in this country for 32 years and I've paid £175 a night here. This seems very paltry to say the least."
One of the "paltry" meals served to Dr Gupta at the hotel
He said he had to clean his own room as no service was being provided by the hotel.
"The whole thing has been a little bit difficult for me to digest because of the amount of money that they charge you to book one of these packages," he said.
"I'm being fleeced in the name of coronavirus. We're paying through the nose for this.
"It's almost as if we're being treated like asylum seekers."
He said the journey from London Heathrow to the hotel took five hours "because it was all really disorganised", with people from different high-risk countries being crammed on the bus with no social distancing.
Dr Gupta said the bus between the airport and hotel was "crammed"
The Courtyard by Marriot hotel said it offered "at least three choices for every meal" and was in contact with Dr Gupta "to discuss alternatives and any other ways we can make his quarantine stay as comfortable as possible".
The Department of Health and Social Care said it introduced a "robust border regime" to help minimise new variants entering the UK.
"The government continues to ensure every person in quarantine gets the support they need and all hotels providing facilities are accommodating the vast majority of people's requirements.
"Hotels do their utmost to take any necessary steps to address concerns raised by guests."