Berlin: In the wake of a new strain of the novel coronavirus spreading across Britain, several European countries have suspended air travel with the UK in order to keep the new strain away from their borders.
France is banning all travel from the UK for 48 hours in an attempt to make sure that a new strain of the coronavirus in Britain doesn't reach its shores, officials said.
The ban announced by the prime minister Jean Castex's office will come into effect from midnight Sunday the French government reacting to tougher measures imposed in and around London on Saturday. Belgium, the Netherlands and Italy are among several countries to have banned travel from the UK.
The French statement clarified that the short 48-hour period would buy authorities time to find a common doctrine on how to deal with the threat. It specified that flows of people or transport to the UK are not affected.
In a similar move German Health Ministry also confirmed suspension of Air Traffic with the UK over new the new Covid-19 strain. German Healthcare Minister Jens Spahn confirmed on Sunday that Germany was suspending the UK-bound flights starting from midnight, and introducing restrictions for South African flights on Monday due to the mutated Covid-19 strain discovered in both countries.
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According to Spahn, the new coronavirus variant discovered in the United Kingdom and South Africa is an expected turn of events, however, "the rapid spread [of the virus], which is suspected of this mutation, changes a lot."
"Therefore, it is important to stop Germany's and continental Europe's air traffic [with the United Kingdom]," the minister said on air the ARD broadcaster.
Spahn added that so far there was little information and the authorities needed to be vigilant.
AP
