LONDON (AP) – Trucks backed up for miles waiting to enter and exit Britain and people were stranded at the airport on Monday as many countries imposed strict travel bans over concerns over new strains of coronavirus spreading in south-east England. .
Countries around the world have banned air travel to the UK while France has banned entry on trucks for a period of 48 hours while new variants are being evaluated. On Monday there were growing hopes, however, that France would allow traffic to flow again, with truck drivers taking quick coronavirus tests upon arrival.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will chair a meeting of the government’s emergency committee on Monday amid growing concerns about new sanctions that could lead to food shortages if he does not return soon. The northeastern county, where many ports are located, has already been requested by the government against travel to Kent.
Most of the perishable goods coming from France to Britain come in trucks. Goods kept on ships by container, such as manufactured products are not affected by the ban.
Although the French ban does not prevent the English Channel from moving goods to Britain, confusion over the new rules has led to an increase in long backups on both sides at a time when traffic on Christmas has already overwhelmed Britain’s future trade. Relations with the European Union.
Every day about 10,000 trucks pass through the British port of Dover, which accounts for about 20% of the UK’s freight trade. British Transport Secretary Grant Schapps said France’s ban was “a little surprising” – but tried to calm the nerves by saying most of Britain’s trade had not been affected.
Shapes insisted that the public not notice a shortage “in most parts.”
French Transport Minister Jean-Baptiste Djibouti indicated that a compromise was coming. “In the coming hours, at the European level, we will put in place a solid health protocol so that the flow of the United Kingdom can resume,” he said in a tweet.
“We are conducting a systematic test once we arrive,” French President Emmanuel Macron told a cabinet meeting by video on Monday. Macron was working from Elysee Palace as he returns from his Covid-19 infection.
Canada, India, Hungary and Switzerland are the latest countries to stop flights from the UK, led by many Europeans. U.S. In, the governor of New York State said he wanted a ban on flights from Britain to New York City. France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Poland and Ireland were among those who announced widespread bans on UK Eurotunnel flights on Sunday, with rail service connecting Britain to mainland Europe also suspending services.
The move follows Johnson’s announcement on Saturday that he would ban a new Tier 4 level in the south-east of London and England following warnings from scientific advisers – the use of what is considered the world’s most sophisticated. Genome sequencing regime – that he had discovered a new type of coronavirus that could be more contagious..
Early signs are that the new type of virus is 70% more transmissible and the new infection is spreading rapidly in the capital and surrounding areas, Johnson said. John will meet with the Cobra Civil Contingency Committee later on Monday amid warnings of “significant disruption” around the English Channel’s ports.
The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control said on Monday that preliminary analysis in the UK suggests the new type is “significantly more transmissible”, there is no indication that the infection is more severe. However experts insist that even if the new strain is not more lethal, it is inevitable that more cases will lead to more hospitalizations and subsequent virus-related deaths.
The Stockholm-based agency said some cases with the new variant have already been reported by Iceland, Denmark and the Netherlands. He cited media reports of cases in Belgium and Italy.
The types described by the UK were not found in patient samples in Germany, said Roman Wolfel, head of the Microfiology at the Bundesweir Institute in Munich. However, he noted that the UK consortium is particularly good at finding new types to adapt to the virus.
In Brussels, experts from EU member states were meeting on Monday to discuss a new variant.
The chaos on the border comes at a time of great uncertainty for the UK, less than two weeks before the final phase of Britain’s exit from the European Union.
Although the UK lifted its blockade on 31 January, it is in a transition period that effectively sees it comply with EU rules by the end of this year. Talks on post-Brexit trade relations are still deadlocked and are set to resume on Monday.
Retailers feared food shortages, at least in the short term, but warned that problems could arise if travel was temporarily banned and if the UK and EU did not agree on a post-Brexit trade deal.
The British Retail Consortium warned that the closure of UK traffic from France would cause trade “difficulties” during the busy Christmas period.
Rewandrew OP, director of food and sustainability at the British Retail Consortium, said retailers had stockpiled goods before Christmas, which should prevent immediate problems.
“However, any prolonged closure at the French border will be a problem as the UK enters its final week before the transition ends.”
Trade Association Logistics UK has urged people to remain calm and not rush to stockpile goods in supermarkets.
“Shoppers shouldn’t panic about buying,” said Kevin Green, director of marketing and communications. “If rents turn up today, the overall impact on fresh produce coming into supermarkets should be minimal.”
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The report was contributed by Associated Press writers Frank Jordens in Berlin, Thomas Adamson in Paris and Laurent Cook in Brussels.
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