European neighbours shut doors to Britain amid alarm over new coronavirus strain

By Angus MacSwan

 

Passengers wearing face masks stand at the Zaventem International Airport as Belgium eases restrictions aimed to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, near Brussels, Belgium June 15, 2020. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir

 

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's European neighbours began closing their doors to travellers from the United Kingdom on Sunday amid alarm about a rapidly spreading strain of coronavirus that has caused cases to soar there.

 

France said it would bar all people coming from the United Kingdom for 48 hours from Sunday night, including freight carriers, whether by road, air, sea or rail.

 

Germany, Italy and the Netherlands ordered a suspension of flights from Britain, while Ireland said it would impose restrictions on flights and ferries from its neighbour.

 

Belgium said it would close its borders to flights and trains - including the popular Eurostar service - coming from the United Kingdom.

 

"The COVID variant recently discovered in London is worrying and will need to be investigated by our scientists," Italian Health Minister Roberto Speranza said.

 

After the UK announced that a new coronavirus strain has led to spiraling infection numbers, several European countries imposed travel restrictions on Britain. Maha Albadrawi reports.

 

"In the meantime we choose the path of maximum prudence."

 

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Saturday that the new strain had led to spiralling infection numbers.

 

His government tightened its COVID-19 restrictions for London and nearby areas, and also reversed plans to ease restrictions over the Christmas period.

 

The travel curbs also compound problems for the United Kingdom as it finally exits the European Union on Dec. 31 after a transition period this year. London and Brussels have so far failed to reach a post-Brext trade deal, raising the prospect of chaos in goods traffic.

 

The German government said all flights from the United Kingdom would be suspended from midnight.

 

"It (the virus mutation) has not yet been identified in Germany," Health Minister Jens Spahn told public broadcaster ARD. "But of course we take the reports from Britain very seriously."

 

Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo said the ban on incoming travel from Britain covers Eurostar services via the Channel Tunnel and will take effect for at least 24 hours from midnight on Sunday, broadcaster VRT said.

 

The Italian order blocked any flights departing from Britain and prohibited anyone who had transited through it in the last 14 days from entering Italy.

 

The Netherlands banned flights carrying passengers from the United Kingdom from Sunday and the restrictions will remain in place until Jan. 1, the Dutch government said.

 

Austria is also planning to ban flights from Britain, the APA news agency said, citing the health ministry. Sweden said it was preparing a decision to ban entry from the United Kingdom.

 

Romania, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic also announced plans to bar flights from the United Kingdom.

 

LAST TICKETS

At London's St. Pancras International station, the terminal for Eurostar, thousands of travellers tried to secure places on trains.

 

"We got the last two tickets for today," said a Frenchman named Leny. "We each respectively had tickets for Monday and Tuesday. But given the situation and what is happening we didn't want to take any risk. And we were the last to be able to do so."

 

The new variant in Britain has added a twist to a battle against the virus that many countries in Europe are waging.

 

The number of coronavirus cases in Britain surged by 35,928 on Sunday, the highest daily rise since the start of the pandemic, and it recorded 326 deaths, taking the official toll to more than 67,000.

 

In addition to the measures announced for England, the United Kingdom's other nations, who control their own anti-coronavirus policies, tightened restrictions. Scotland has imposed a ban on travel to the rest of the United Kingdom.

 

(Reporting by Reuters bureaus; Writing by Angus MacSwan; Editing by Frances Kerry)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-12-21

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Sensible move, wish we did similar at some times. The so called new variant was first reported to the WHO in September, so pretty sure it will already be in France, heck they probably sent it over in one of their dinghies

this is a disaster

 

there are few good sides, but that will stimulate and test the huge car parks and Portaloos installed for Brexit

Quote

The government has already accepted that the absence of sanitary facilities in Kent for lorry drivers is an issue with plans to put in Portaloos for Brexit.

 

 

Medical supplies and other essential goods will still cross, that could actually help Belgian Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines getting through

Quote

Eurotunnel said trains would still be running services from France to the UK that were vital for medical supplies and other essential goods.

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/dec/20/frances-covid-freight-ban-to-have-devastating-effect-on-uk-sector-warns

another interesting thing to follow : maybe this time we'll getter a better coordonation

Quote

An EU official told Agence France-Presse that representatives from the 27-member states would meet on Monday under the bloc’s integrated political crisis response mechanism designed to swiftly react to crises.

 

although this won't stop the new strain, we can hope to slow it down during the vaccine roll-out

Quote

The WHO said it was in close contact with British officials, and that outside the UK nine cases of the new strain had been reported in Denmark, one in the Netherlands and one in Australia. “Across Europe, where transmission is intense and widespread, countries need to redouble their control and prevention approaches,” a spokeswoman for WHO Europe said.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/dec/20/belgium-italy-and-netherlands-ban-flights-from-uk-over-new-covid-strain

The entire UK should be locked down for 30 days so they can figure this out.

Edited December 20, 20205 yr by bkk6060

maybe this mutated virus is a "brexit" virus

Good........Now let the U.K. reciprocate.....and while we are at it let us include all the economic migrants that they keep throwing our way, or should I say slipped through the net in France.........

Canada today has announced a suspension of flights from Great Britain.

 

4 hours ago, webfact said:

European neighbours shut doors to Britain amid alarm over new coronavirus strain

By Angus MacSwan

 

Passengers wearing face masks stand at the Zaventem International Airport as Belgium eases restrictions aimed to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, near Brussels, Belgium June 

“Passengers wearing face masks”?

Well, I only see one person wearing a mask, and the guy wearing a chin warmer.

This must be the dream of all Brexiteers; the clear-cut Brexit they wished for. 

All countries should ban everyone from US and UK until they come to their senses and face reality.

Dunno what all fuss is about or some childish posts.

UK is on lock down. ????

The blatant scaremongering from sky news this morning (John Craig; appears permanently asleep!) is a precursor to the somewhat predictable 'the sky is falling in' the public can expect from 01 January....????

 

A respected American doctor on CNN was asked his thoughts about the reported new and scary increased infectiousness variant of Covid in UK. 

 

He was not alarmed.... and verging on thinking the over reaction crazy. He said there are many varients/strains of Covid in USA. Some more infectious than others. The vaccine was good against all strains.

 

Obviously it needs looking  into more but possibly this reaction to the 'super' strain of Covid in UK might be over the top. 

 

I hope so. My family are in UK.

Um, in case anyone was wondering, viruses mutate all the time, that's why we get new influenza vaccines annually, i.e. to keep up with the mutations.

 

Now this mutation wouldn't be something new, it could be that its a more dominant strain or a weaker strain, so the media scaremongering doesn't help, fact of the matter is, some mutations don't have any effect on the virus, some become a more dominant strain, but from what I have heard the mutation/s are pretty standard stuff, but the scaremongering is still being ramped up of course thanks to the media having free rein as usual.

 

I need some fresh air, so I am off to open a window.

 

 

 

Edited December 21, 20205 yr by 4MyEgo

Self solving problem tell the froggies & co the new strain emanates from British waters fish stocks

3 hours ago, Sujo said:

All countries should ban everyone from US and UK until they come to their senses and face reality.

For at least one of those countries, that could be a long wait. 

Edited December 21, 20205 yr by Bluespunk

It's one cluster after another for a beleaguered Boris he sure is suffering from reverse midas ????

Just a pity they weren't as quick banning flights from china at the very beginning and we would not be in this mess. And, who would have thought a virus could mutate? Everyone with a brain. Idiots.

New strain? And this new strain originated in the U.K.? ????. Nothing to do with politics of course. The U.K. and most of Europe is in lockdown anyway . 

Edited December 21, 20205 yr by goldenbrwn1

4 minutes ago, goldenbrwn1 said:

New strain? And this new strain originated in the U.K.? ????. Nothing to do with Poliyics of course. The U.K. and most of Europe is in lockdown anyway . 

"New strain?"

Yes, new strain.

"And this new strain originated in the U.K.?"

I don't think the origin of this new strain is known yet, what is known is there are many cases in the UK, and just a few in mainland Europe.

"Nothing to do with Poliyics of course."

Agree,, I think nothing to do with politics. IMO a panic reaction that will be changed soon, allowing transport through again. People I don't think so for the moment, but who knows.

"The U.K. and most of Europe is in lockdown anyway . "

A lockdown that is in many places half hearted at best, letting people and goods in and out, almost as pleased.

Edited December 21, 20205 yr by stevenl

Off topic troll post removed

not really any choice when common sense is becoming uncommonly rare..

2 hours ago, vogie said:

I don't believe europe wanted to ban the UK and the US in 1944?

Why " it " took you soo long ....?

 

Poor soul ..only the past to be proud on ...even Boris as avatar is gone ....maybe a sign for things to come ...?????????????

2 hours ago, vogie said:

I don't believe europe wanted to ban the UK and the US in 1944?

What a strange response. The UK is now a dangerous infectious country. What is strange to take some precautions. Its good you guys are on an island. This way its easier to contain you. 

 

Why import a more dangerous strain if it can possible be contained. 

4 minutes ago, from the home of CC said:

not really any choice when common sense is becoming uncommonly rare..

Indeed common sense. Why import it. For once its great the UK is an island. If it was on mainland Europe things would be harder. 

 

I am sure had it come from an other country the results would be the same containment if possible.

2 minutes ago, robblok said:

What a strange response. The UK is now a dangerous infectious country. What is strange to take some precautions. Its good you guys are on an island. This way its easier to contain you. 

 

Why import a more dangerous strain if it can possible be contained. 

Sadly, some Little Englanders live purely in the past, where Britain ruled the waves and dictated to the rest of the World. 

 

One day they may wake up and realise that we are a small island just off the coast of the European mainland, the countries of which we would be well served to work with, not against.  But don't hold your breath as I don;t think that will happen any time soon.

 

PH

15 minutes ago, stevenl said:

"New strain?"

Yes, new strain.

"And this new strain originated in the U.K.?"

I don't think the origin of this new strain is known yet, what is known is there are many cases in the UK, and just a few in mainland Europe.

"Nothing to do with Poliyics of course."

Agree,, I think nothing to do with politics. IMO a panic reaction that will be changed soon, allowing transport through again. People I don't think so for the moment, but who knows.

"The U.K. and most of Europe is in lockdown anyway . "

A lockdown that is in many places half hearted at best, letting people and goods in and out, almost as pleased.

So pleased you agreed with me . ???? 

Surely the timing of this ban is at least questionable.... Brexit deadline .... come on . The MSM are already calling it the new U.K. variant ???? 

Edited December 21, 20205 yr by goldenbrwn1

20 minutes ago, goldenbrwn1 said:

Surely the timing of this ban is at least questionable.... Brexit deadline .... come on . The MSM are already calling it the new U.K. variant ???? 

But anyway shows how vulnerable they could become if really looking for economic confrontation  with example only already the French ...????or other coastal E.U. states big or small ....????

 

And still claiming their soo precious sovereignty  ????, they don't realize the disadvantage of living on an island and hating your closest neighbor ... 

Edited December 21, 20205 yr by david555