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LONDON and PARIS – On Monday, more countries suspended air links with the UK, leaving the nation increasingly isolated and compounding fears of chaos within ten days of Brexit, due to concerns about a new strain of coronavirus that is occurring. spreading rapidly across British territory.
With the chaos of transportation, there is fear of food shortages. After an emergency government meeting, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, however, ensured that supply chains in the UK are “strong” and can withstand suspension of air and land connections. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss international travel and the isolation imposed on the country, and in particular the flow of cargo in and out of British territory.
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The variant of the virus would have a contagion capacity 70% greater than previous strains and would already be out of control in part of the country. However, scientists say the new variant may already be circulating in countries with less advanced detection methods than the UK. Cases have already been identified in several countries, such as Italy, Denmark, the Netherlands and Australia.
On Monday, Spain, Portugal, Poland, Russia, Iran, India, Hong Kong, Turkey and several other countries joined the group of European nations that had suspended flights and maritime and rail connections with the United Kingdom for a few days on Sunday. . British airports receive up to 900 flights a day. The European Union (EU) convened its crisis committee, which asked the European Commission to present a coordinated response.
Some countries, such as Finland and Romania, have suspended air connections to the UK for two weeks. The measure also affects countries that have already detected the new strain, such as South Africa and Denmark. The fear caused by the new variant has led some countries to take tougher measures: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait closed borders and suspended all flights for at least a week. Peru has already suspended all flights to and from Europe.
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The most worrying blockade in the EU is that of France, which closed its border to the entry of people and trucks from the United Kingdom, blocking one of the main commercial arteries with continental Europe. The Paris measure, with an initial period of 48 hours, prohibits the entry of freight transported by truck from the United Kingdom, and of transport services through the English Channel, mainly between Dover and Calais.
This is the UK’s main freight link to the EU, typically handling up to 10,000 trucks a day. With the lockdown, Britain’s second-largest supermarket chain, Sainsbury’s, said products will begin to disappear from shelves in a few days if transport links with continental Europe are not quickly reestablished.
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British Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, however, indicated that goods will continue to arrive by ships, rather than being driven by trucks. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, meanwhile, denied that a large-scale supply shortage is likely:
“The delays affect only a small proportion of the food entering the UK and, as supermarket companies say, the supply chains are strong,” the prime minister told a television news conference.
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The blockade could also damage supplies to Ireland. On Monday, Scottish seafood producers were left with tons of perishable goods stranded on the roads when the border with France was closed. Meanwhile, families and truck drivers were trying to understand the travel bans and get back home in time for Christmas.
Post-Brexit negotiations
In the United States, which has been breaking a record for deaths in recent weeks, officials are watching the variant of the virus “very carefully” but at the moment do not intend to ban travel to and from the UK.
Still, some states have begun to take precautions. According to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, British Airways has agreed to allow only passengers testing negative for the new coronavirus to fly into John F. Kennedy International Airport. Cuomo said he also asked Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic to “voluntarily agree” to track the passengers.
“If they do not agree voluntarily, New York State will look at other options,” he said.
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The global alarm was also reflected in the financial markets. European stocks slumped and the worst hit was felt by stocks in travel and leisure companies. The pound fell 2.5% against the dollar and was on track for its biggest drop in a day since March, at the start of the pandemic. The British currency also fell more than 1 against the euro.
The new variant of the coronavirus and the restrictions imposed in the United Kingdom join an already chaotic scenario, with the country preparing to finally separate from the European Union, possibly without a trade agreement, when the Brexit transition period ends on the day. December 31st.
On Monday, a government spokesman reiterated that it would end the transition period with the EU on December 31, even after the Scottish prime minister asked the British leader to extend the deadline due to complications from the new Covidean strain. 19.
– Our position on the transition period is clear. It will end on December 31, that is still our position – he told reporters. – We need to ratify any agreement before January 1, which means that time is short and that is why our negotiators continue to work hard.
