France announced on Sunday that it has implemented a 48-hour travel ban in the UK, joining a growing number of European countries stopping travel to the UK after a new strain of coronavirus was detected in that UK. the country. At least six European countries have announced that flights will cease if they have not already done so, while France and Belgium have banned train travel.
French officials say the 48-hour shutdown will give them time to find a “common doctrine” to stop the spread of the new COVID-19 alternative. French President Emmanuel Macron tested positive for coronavirus on Thursday.
Germany, which holds the EU presidency, convened a special crisis meeting on Monday to coordinate a response.
Senior health officials in the UK say that a new rapid variant of coronavirus could be up to 70% more transmissible than previous ones. This strain seems to lead to rapid spread in London and the south of England. But there is no evidence that the new strain is more deadly or would react differently to the vaccine, according to BBC News.
TOBY MELVILLE / REUTERS
Following the new strain, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Saturday a new level of coronavirus restrictions, the strictest so far, and canceled the planned five-day Christmas relaxation period scheduled for December 23-27.
“I know how much emotion people invest in this time of year and how important it is for grandparents to see their grandchildren,” Johnson said Saturday. “But when the virus changes its method of attack, we must change our method of defense.”
Johnson also said that the capital and other areas in the south of England, currently below level 3 – the highest level of coronavirus restrictions – will move to a new, even stricter level, requiring the closure of all non-essential shops, hairdressers and of indoor recreation places after the end of working hours on Saturday.
The videos went viral on Saturday night as the British packed London stations into a last-minute battle to leave the city ahead Christmas. British Health Secretary Matt Hancock described the rush to travel as “totally irresponsible behavior”, according to Sky News.
U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams toldMake the nation“On Sunday, the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization are investigating the new strain. instructions.
“Well, it’s very important for people to know that viruses move all the time, and that doesn’t mean this virus is more dangerous,” Adams said. “We don’t even know if it’s really more contagious or not or if it just happened to be a strain that was involved in a spreading event. We currently have no indication that it will affect our ability to continue vaccination. people or that it is more dangerous or deadly than the strains that exist today and that we know about. “
The Associated Press contributed to this report.