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A growing number of European nations have banned travel from the UK in a bid to prevent a mutant strain of coronavirus from crossing their borders. This is what we know so far:
Which European countries have banned flights from the UK?
France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Austria, Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland and the Netherlands have said they will stop flights arriving from the UK.
The Czech Republic has imposed stricter quarantine measures for people arriving from Great Britain.
When do the flight bans start and how long do they last?
The Netherlands ban went into effect Sunday morning and is expected to last at least the rest of the year.
Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo issued a flight ban order for 24 hours starting at midnight on Sunday.
Italy’s Health Minister Roberto Speranza said an order was signed on Sunday blocking flights from Britain and preventing anyone who has been to the UK in the past 14 days from entering Italy. The order bans air travel until January 6.
Austria and Italy have not specified when their plans to halt flights from the UK will take place.
Germany said it would ban flights from the UK from midnight Berlin time on Sunday, and the German news agency DPA reported that it would remain in effect until at least December 31.
France has banned all travel from the UK for 48 hours starting at midnight on Sunday.
Bulgaria said it would temporarily suspend flights to and from the United Kingdom from midnight on Sunday.
What is the situation with Ireland?
The Irish government said on Sunday it would impose a 48-hour ban on flights from Britain to Ireland.
The restrictions take effect at midnight on Sunday.
Is anyone exempt?
Ireland’s Transport Minister Eamon Ryan said the ferries will continue to operate to transport cargo between Britain and Ireland.
“We need transportation to keep our shelves full, but other passengers will be restricted,” he said.
The German government said exemptions from its flight ban include repatriation flights for planes and their crews, postal, cargo or empty flights and planes carrying medical personnel.
The Bulgarian embassy in London said on its website that Bulgarian citizens and their families, as well as permanent residents of Bulgaria, could enter the country subject to a 10-day quarantine if they flew through a different country or entered Bulgaria. by land or by sea.
What are governments doing?
An EU crisis meeting has been called for Monday to discuss the coordination of the coronavirus response among the 27 member states.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) views other countries’ travel restrictions as a matter for their own governments.
It was previously understood that he was in contact with international partners and closely monitoring the situation.
But on Sunday night Issue 10 revealed that Prime Minister Boris Johnson will chair a meeting of the UK government’s Cobra civil contingencies committee on Monday.
Why is this happening?
A mutant strain of coronavirus spreading across London and south-east England has prompted EU nations to start restricting incoming flights from the UK.
De Croo said Belgium’s flight ban was “out of a precaution,” adding: “There are many questions about this new mutation and whether it is not on the continent yet.”
The German embassy in London tweeted that the flight restrictions were the result of “the mutation of the coronavirus.”
On Saturday, Johnson said there was “no evidence” that the new variant “causes more serious illness or increased mortality,” but “it appears to be transmitted much more easily.”
He said the new strain could be up to 70% more transmissible than the old variant of the virus.
Do the international train and ferry links work?
Eurostar said it could not operate trains from London to Paris, Brussels, Lille or Amsterdam on Monday or Tuesday.
Trains to London from Paris will continue to operate, and the railway company said it plans to resume services to and from the UK on Wednesday.
Eurotunnel said its last shuttle service to France would depart at 9.34pm, with access to its UK site banned from 10pm.
The Dover ferry terminal was also closed to “all escorted traffic leaving the UK” after France moved to close its border.
Can I travel abroad from England?
If you live in one of the newly created level 4 areas, covering London and parts of the South East and East of England, you should not travel abroad.
Government guidance states that people can only travel internationally if they are “legally allowed to do so, for example, because it is for work.”
Across England, people are advised to stay local and avoid traveling outside of their area.
For those who live in Level 1, 2 and 3 areas, the guide advises prospective international travelers to “carefully consider whether they should travel abroad.”
He advises them to “follow the rules of your area” and consider the public health councils in the country they plan to visit.
Someone living outside of level 4 can travel to or through a level 4 area to travel abroad if needed.
People are also advised to consult the FCDO travel advice and the rules in force at their destination. For many countries, the FCDO advises against “all but essential travel”.
Do nations outside Europe prohibit arrivals from the UK?
Yes. Iran’s Health Ministry ordered the suspension of flights from Britain for two weeks, state news agency IRNA reported. Israel said it was banning entry to foreign nationals traveling from Britain, Denmark and South Africa. Kuwait added Britain to a list of “high risk” nations and banned the flights. El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele said on Twitter that anyone who has been to Britain or South Africa in the past 30 days will not be able to enter the country.
Turkey and Morocco have announced that they will suspend air travel from the UK, while the official Saudi press agency reports that Saudi Arabia will also suspend international flights for a week. There are unconfirmed reports that Canada has also banned flights from Britain.
With Press Association and Agence France-Presse
