LONDON, Dec 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) – A number of European countries, yesterday began to ban flights from Britain, following the emergence of a highly infectious variant of coronavirus.
It threw into chaos Christmas plans of hundreds of thousands of people in Britain and Europe, aiming to spend the holidays with families and friends, on either side of the English Channel.
A domino effect of travel restrictions grew, amid rising concern over the mutant strain of COVID-19, that has effectively plunged London and other parts of Britain into the new Tier Four restrictions over Christmas.
The Netherlands became the first major European country to announce a ban on flights, followed by neighbouring Belgium, which also halted Britain-bound trains using the Channel Tunnel. Austria and Italy followed suit.
The list was expected to quickly grow with France and Germany also mulling grounding flights to and from Britain. Britain’s neighbour, Ireland, is expected to restrict flights and ferries.
Eurostar cancelled trains between London, Brussels and Amsterdam from today, but the train operator said, trains continue to operate on the London to Paris route.
Scottish First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, closed the border with England, announcing, people could not enter or leave Scotland. Scotland police said, it doubled the number of officers stationed on the English border.
The latest development followed a Downing Street virtual press conference on Saturday, during which British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, warned of a mutation of the virus which has quickly spread across London and the southeast of England.
The announcement of a new Tier Four restriction for the British capital, provoked a race to major rail terminals in London, with thousands of people fleeing the capital to escape a lockdown over Christmas.
Johnson said, previous plan to allow up to three households to meet during five days around Christmas will have to be scrapped.
British Health Secretary, Matt Hancock criticised people who escaped London before the new Tier four lock-down came into force, as “totally irresponsible.”
For those in Tiers One, Two and Three, rules allowing up to three households to meet will now be limited to Christmas Day only, while in Tier Four, people should not mix with anyone outside their own household.
According to Johnson, the newly identified strain of the virus may be up to 70 percent more transmissible.
Hancock said, the new variant was “out of control” in Britain, urging Britons to behave as if they already have the virus, especially in areas under the new Tier.
The British government’s Chief Scientific Adviser, Patrick Vallance, said, the new variant was first seen in mid-Sept in London and Kent. By Dec, it became the “dominant variant” in London.
By the week ending Dec 9, the new variant accounted for 62 percent in London, 59 percent in eastern England, and 43 percent in the South East, according to Vallance.– NNN-AGENCIES
