French authorities will firmly restrict who can travel to France from Brazil, Argentina, Chile and South Africa and impose a 10-day quarantine on those who do so, in hopes of avoiding worrying coronavirus variants circulating in those countries, he announced. the government on Saturday.
The announcement adds to a changing party of international restrictions that have complicated travel around the world.
Prime Minister Jean Castex announced late Saturday that, starting April 24, travelers arriving from any of the four countries will have to quarantine for 10 days. Police officers will check them to make sure they comply.
Entry from the four countries will be limited almost exclusively to French citizens and their families, citizens of other European Union countries and foreigners with permanent homes in France. Passengers must have tested negative for the virus shortly before take-off and will be given antigenic tests on arrival.
“These are the most dangerous countries,” Jean-Yves Le Drian, France’s foreign minister, told France 3 television on Sunday.
Almost all flights between France and Brazil will remain suspended at least until the new rules come into force and possibly longer, the government said.
The tightening restrictions have been necessary due to the “uncontrolled spread of the virus in some countries”, including the widespread transmission of virus variants, such as those first identified in Brazil and South Africa, which appear to be more resistant to some current vaccines. Covid-19, dl. Castex said in his statement.
France’s decision adds to a complex tangle of rules and policies about international travel, which can vary greatly from country to country and month to month.
Germany eased some of its travel restrictions last week, removing the UK, Ireland, Finland and Barbados from its list of high-risk areas, meaning travelers from these countries no longer need to be quarantined on arrival.
But Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said his country was in no hurry to reopen its borders, which were largely closed to anyone other than returning Australian citizens.
“I will not jeopardize the way we live in this country, which is so different from the rest of the world today,” Mr Morrison told reporters.
Unlike many European countries that have kept restaurants closed, travel restricted and face masks required to fight a new wave of infections, Australia has the coronavirus epidemic largely under control and residents are largely free to travel domestically. and eat.