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After the UK discovered a new mutated form of the coronavirus that is said to be more contagious than previous variants, Denmark decided overnight Monday to halt flights from the country for 48 hours.
“Denmark closes airspace for all UK aircraft from 10am on Monday and 48 hours onwards to prevent the spread of a new mutated virus,” Health Minister Magnus Heunicke tweeted.
Transport Minister Benny Engelbrecht says in a press release that this way they will have more time to think in the coming days.
Finland also decided late Sunday night to stop UK air traffic due to the virus mutation. From 12 noon on Monday and two weeks before, until January 4, there are no passenger flights from the UK to Finland.
The decision does not affect flights to the UK, but those who go to or are in the UK will not be able to return to Finland in the next two weeks, writes Swedish Yle.
The decision does not apply to ambulances, cargo flights or flights that call in the UK, but only direct flights to Finland.
“In the coming weeks, you will probably receive more information about the properties of the new virus variant, the spread and the additional measures that are required,” writes the Swedish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom in a press release.
Monday morning came also Norway with the announcement that it will stop air traffic from the UK, only for two days, but it can be extended.
– We must ensure that the variant of the virus that has been discovered in the UK spreads as little as possible to Norway, says Health Minister Bent Høie in a press release.
Furthermore, Norway will introduce various requirements for UK travelers until January 10. In addition to being quarantined for ten days, they must take a covid test within 24 hours of arrival and then a new test no earlier than day 7 after entering the UK. Travelers who have come from the UK in the last two weeks should also get tested as soon as possible. They must also register and notify the municipality where they will be staying.
Many countries have opted for similar flight bans. According to the BBC, Reuters and The Independent, these are France, the Netherlands, Ireland, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Turkey, Switzerland, Austria, Bulgaria, Canada, Hong Kong, Israel, Iran, Croatia, Argentina, Chile, Morocco, Kuwait , Poland, El Salvador and Romania. Several countries have introduced mandatory quarantine.
Sweden is preparing a decision on the UK travel ban and a formal decision is expected on Monday, according to Home Secretary Mikael Damberg (S).
The coronavirus has already mutated several times since it was discovered, perhaps up to 10,000 times, but not in a drastic way that has changed its function.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said the new form of virus can spread up to 70 percent faster than previous variants. In London, it accounts for 62 percent of the viruses detected.
However, according to British researchers, it is not yet known how contagious it is. The Swedish Public Health Agency also emphasizes on its website that the analyzes are preliminary and that further analysis is underway in the UK to confirm the results.
Currently, there is no evidence that the form of the virus causes more serious disease than previous variants or that medical treatments and vaccines work worse with the new mutated virus, according to British researchers.
In addition to the UK, isolated infections of the virus variant have also been reported in Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium and Australia. The European Agency for Communicable Disease Control ECDC states that “an ongoing spread of this variant outside the UK cannot be ruled out”. Therefore, the World Health Organization (WHO) calls on European countries to increase controls.
Read more:
Sweden introduces entry ban from the UK
British stranded in Europe: “We are being held against our will”
We know this about the new mutation of the virus.
