Dozens of soldiers returning from service in Afghanistan are quarantining in an army gymnasium at Colchester’s Merville Barracks.
According to the Ministry of Defence, the British Army is trialling a new system of quarantine which requires army personnel to stay in Covid-secure bubbles, allowing soldiers to support one another after returning from an operation.
It is still Covid regulation that those returning from red-list countries must self-isolate upon return to the UK.
The Ministry of Defence added that given the intensity and the demanding nature of the operation in Afghanistan, soldiers will have access to an enhanced package of counselling as well as psychological support if required.
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The final UK military flight left Afghanistan last Saturday following the evacuation of 15,000 Afghans, ending 20 years of involvement in the country.
As the Taliban surged across Afghanistan last month, organisations and charities throughout Colchester made preparations to welcome and accommodate Afghan refugees.
Around 600 troops from Colchester took part in the evacuation operation which began in mid August.
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