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The ban came into effect at 6pm local time (7am Lithuanian). It was announced hours after the UK tightened restrictions to prevent a new strain of coronavirus from spreading.
“A contagious mutation in the COVID-19 virus is circulating in the UK. It is said to be spreading easier, faster and more difficult to detect,” said a statement from the Dutch Health Ministry.
The Health Department stated that it “recommends restricting the introduction of this strain of the virus from the UK as much as possible by restricting and / or controlling the movement of passengers from the UK.”
The ministry added that “a case study in the Netherlands in early December identified a virus with a variant described in the UK.”
Experts investigated how the infection occurred and whether there were related cases.
Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s cabinet has “taken a precautionary decision” to ban flights from Britain, the report said, adding that travel by other means of transport is still being decided.
The Prime Minister urged citizens not to travel unnecessarily.
“Over the next few days, the EU will explore with other EU member states (the government) ways to further reduce the risk of a new strain of the virus coming from the UK,” the report said.
In the Netherlands, there is a quarantine until mid-January, during which all unnecessary stores, with the exception of grocery stores and pharmacies, and schools must close.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Saturday that residents of London and south-east England would not be able to leave their homes without the necessary need to curb the spread of a new strain of coronavirus.
The new strain of coronavirus “appears to be transmitted much more easily,” Johnson said on television. Preliminary data suggest that its infectivity may reach 70%. higher than the most common varieties prevailing so far, the prime minister said.
He called for new restrictions to be imposed in London and south-east England from Sunday, with “fourth level rules” in place in the region, “whose people must stay home” until at least December 30.
The goal is to slow the spread of the latest coronavirus in areas where it has not yet spread.
The new measures mean that around a third of England’s population will not be able to travel and meet other people at Christmas.
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