Countries Ban Entry from UK Over Covid Strain

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Countries including France, Germany, the Netherlands and Ireland have banned flights from the UK and introduced stringent quarantine measures for those arriving from the UK. The bans follow the announcement by the UK government on Friday of a new fast-spreading strain of the Covid-19 virus. The government introduced a new tier of restrictions in London and the south east of England and announced tightening of restrictions on people meeting up over Christmas.

Eurostar has announced that as a result of the bans it will not run any trains from London to Paris, Brussels, Lille or Amsterdam on either Monday 21 or Tuesday 22 December and from Amsterdam, Brussels and Lille to London on these dates. Trains will continue to run from Paris to London.

The company said it currently plans to resume all train services to and from the UK on Wednesday 23 December.

The EU is expected to meet to agree a coordinated response on UK entry later today but the measures announced so far include the following:

• Argentina: Flights from the UK have been suspended, the government said, with those arriving into the country on the last flight before the ban subject to a negative PCR test and seven-day quarantine.
• Austria: The country's foreign ministry has announced a ban on all flights from the UK until midnight on 1 January 2021.
• Belgium: Banned all flights and trains from the UK for 24 hours.
• Bulgaria: Flights from the UK have been suspended until 31 January and a ten-day quarantine announced for UK arrivals.
• Canada: The country has banned all flights from the UK from midnight on 20 December, according to public safety minister Bill Blair. The restrictions will initially be in place for 72 hours, after which time they could be extended or enhanced.
• Chile: Ban on flights to and from the UK and a ban on entry from non-residents who have been in the UK in the past 14 days with effect from 0000 local time on Tuesday 22 December for two weeks, the Chilean government has tweeted. Anyone who has been in the UK within the past 14 days must quarantine for 14 days. 
• Colombia: The Colombian president tweeted that flights between the country and the UK would be suspended with effect from Monday 21 December.
• Croatia: Prime minister Andrej Plenković announced a 48-hour ban on flights from the UK on Sunday evening.
• Czech Republic: The country has banned flights from the UK from Monday. The Czech health ministry has also ordered a compulsory 10-day quarantine for visitors from the UK, with the possibility of release after five days on receipt of a negative PCR test.   
• Denmark: From 1000 local time on 21 December, the Danish government banned flights from the UK or with a stopover in the UK for 48 hours. 
• El Salvador: President Nayib Bukele has banned anyone who has been in the UK in the past 30 days from entering the country.
• Estonia: Banned flights from Monday until 31 December, the government has tweeted.
• Finland: All passenger air traffic from the UK has been banned until 2359 on 4 January 2021, according to the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency.  
• France: From midnight on 20 December for 48 hours, travelling from the UK to France by road, air, sea or rail has been banned, said prime minister Jean Castex. Departures to the UK are not affected. From 22 December, entry into France will require a mandatory Covid test at the point of departure.
• Germany: From midnight, the country has banned all flights from the UK and plans to restrict travel to the UK from today, said Germany's health minister Jens Spahn.
• Grenada: The govenrment banned all flights from the UK with effect from 2200 local time on Sunday 20 December and banned anyone who has been in the UK in the previous 14 days from entering the country until further notice. 
• Hong Kong: Banned flights from the UK from midnight overnight on Monday. All travellers from the UK will have to serve a 21-day quarantine, said the government.
• Hungary: The government said it had suspended all flights to the country from the UK.
• India: The country has banned flights from the UK from 2359 hours local time on Tuesday 22 December. Anyone arriving before that time must take a mandatory PCR test on arrival. Ban lasts until 2359 hours on 31 December. 
• Ireland: Banned all flights arriving into Ireland from Great Britain with effect from midnight on 20 December for at least 48 hours. The ban will be reviewed at a cabinet meeting on 22 December. Ferry crossings between Ireland and Great Britain will continue in order to keep essential supply chains moving.
• Israel: Banned all flights from the UK and requiring those arriving to quarantine in state-run hotels for 14 days unless they receive two negative results, which will enable them to leave after 10 days.
• Italy: The country has banned flights until 6 January and also banned entry or transit to people who have been in the UK in the past 14 days. Anyone who has arrived in the country from the UK in the past 14 days must take a test.
• Jordan: Direct and indirect flights from the UK banned until 3 January 2021, according to government spokeswoman Ali Al-Ayed.
• Kuwait: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has announced a ban on flights from the UK with effect from 0800 GMT on 21 December. 
• Latvia: The Latvian govenrment has banned UK flights from 21 December to 1 January 2021.
• Lithuania: Banned UK flights from 0400 local time on 21 December until 31 December.
• Luxembourg: The government announced a suspension of flights from the UK from Monday for at least 24 hours.
• Morocco: Flights between Morocco and the UK have been suspended with immediate effect.
• The Netherlands: On Sunday 20 December at 0600 local time, the Netherlands banned flights carrying passengers from the United Kingdom. The government-announced ban lasts until 1 January 2021.
• Norway: The country has banned UK flights with immediate effect from 21 December for initial 48 hour period. A PCR test must be taken within 24 hours of arrival in Norway, followed by a new test no sooner than seven days after arrival from the United Kingdom.
• Oman: The country has banned all international arrivals and departures with effect from 1300 hours local time on Tuesday 22 December as a result of the new strain of Covid.   
• Pakistan: The country has banned all inbound travellers from the UK starting from midnight on Tuesday 22 December until midnight on 29 December. The ban includes anyone who has been in the UK in the past ten days, except for those who have transited in the UK without leaving airside. Pakistani passport holders will be allowed to return subject to negative PCR tests and seven days' quarantine on arrival.  
• Poland: The country announced a ban on flights from midnight on Sunday.
• Portugal: Passengers on flights from the UK who are not nationals or permanent residents will not be permitted entry, the government said.  
• Romania: The UK FCDO says the Romanian government will ban air passenger flights to and from the UK from 19:00 CET on 21 December for 14 days.
• Russia: News agency Tass says that flights from the UK will be banned from midnight on Tuesday 22 December for one week. 
• Saudi Arabia: Ban on international flights announced for one week, with the possibility of extension for a second week. Those arriving in Saudi from countries where the new strain has been seen must isolate for 14 days and get tested every five days.
• Spain: The Spanish government tweeted that it would ban UK citizens from entering the country from Tuesday 22 December and would strengthen border control with Gibraltar. 
• Sudan: Sudan will ban travellers from Britain, the Netherlands and South Africa for three weeks from 23 December, Reuters has reported.    
• Sweden: Interior minister Mikael Damberg and foreign minister Ann Linde announced during a press conference on Monday that all flights from the UK would be stopped for 48 hours and that travellers from the UK and Denmark would be banned from entering the country. They added that anyone who had arrived from the two countries since 12 December would need to be tested.
• Switzerland: The country has banned UK flights from midnight on Sunday until further notice and also withdrawn freedom of movement privileges for UK residents with immediate effect. The country is also requiring anyone who has arrived from the UK since 14 December to enter quarantine for ten days.  
• Tunisia: The country's transport ministry said it was banning all flights to and from the UK, including transit flights, and would ban entry to UK residents until further notice.  
• Turkey: The country has banned all flights from England, Denmark, the Netherlands and South Africa with no timeline given for lifting the ban, according to its finance minister.