LONDON (AP) – The British government is preparing to ban international arrivals from four more countries – Bangladesh, Kenya, Pakistan and the Philippines – amid concerns about new variants of the virus, but has chosen not to include European nations facing a resurgence. of the virus.
The Department of Transportation said on Friday that the number of countries on its “red list” will reach 39 when the most recent restrictions come into effect in England from 9 April. The other nations of the United Kingdom – Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – have similar lists.
According to travel bans, international visitors who have left or traveled to countries on the red list in the previous 10 days are not allowed to enter England. The countries on the list include Brazil and South Africa, where two of the most worrying variants of the virus have been identified.
British and Irish citizens and persons who have a right of residence in the United Kingdom can enter, as commercial flights are not prohibited. However, they must be quarantined in a government-approved hotel for 10 days at their own expense and must have a COVID-19 test on days two and eight of their isolation.
The measures aim to reduce the risk posed by new virus variants in the United Kingdom, which recorded the highest number of COVID-related deaths in Europe, with more than 126,500 deaths.
No European country is on the British red list, although much of Europe is witnessing a resurgence of the virus that has led many countries to re-impose blocking restrictions. Health experts say the increase is being driven by variants of the virus, including the first identified in Britain, which are sweeping the continent. The World Health Organization on Thursday lamented the slow pace of vaccinations in European countries except Britain, saying they were losing the race to protect their people.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s conservative government has faced doubts in recent days as to why France, which is suffering one of the worst outbreaks in Europe, is not on the list. However, putting France on the red list could have serious implications for the UK’s incoming and outgoing trade flows, given its reliance on port traffic that cross the English Channel.
The UK transport department said that most cases of the South African variant detected in England so far were linked to international travel and that very few would have come from Europe.
The UK has seen new coronavirus infections and deaths drop dramatically since winter amid a strict 3-month block and rapid distribution of coronavirus vaccines. The UK has already applied the first vaccine to more than 31 million people, or about 46% of its population, a much higher rate than in the rest of Europe.
This week, restrictions on meetings in England were relaxed after a big drop in new cases from a daily fee of around 70,000 earlier this year. The UK reported 3,402 new infections on Friday, its lowest level since mid-September. This week’s main flexibilization allows groups of up to six people, or two families, to meet outdoors.
Johnson on Friday urged people to follow the rules and not mix indoors during the Easter weekend, even though people received an injection of vaccine.
“Even though your friends and family can be vaccinated, vaccines are not giving 100% protection, which is why we need to be cautious,” he said during a question and answer session on Twitter. “We don’t think they reduce or completely remove the risk of transmission.”
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