With the spread of the highly contagious corona19 virus in the UK, European countries are stepping up travel restrictions, including temporarily suspending flights from the UK.



The German government has said it will ban all flights departing from the UK except cargo planes from midnight local time on the 20th in response to the variant Corona 19.



A source from the German government told AFP that the restrictions could be adopted across all 27 EU member states, and that member states are discussing a joint response to the means of linking sea, land and rail with the UK.



The French government also announced that it would suspend all travel from the UK for 48 hours from midnight on the 20th, Le Parisian reported daily.



Transportation by road, air, sea, and rail, as well as freight, becomes impossible.



Earlier, the Dutch government said it would ban aircraft carrying passengers from the UK from that day to January 1 of next year.



The Belgian government also decided to ban flights from the UK and trains, including Eurostar, for at least 24 hours from midnight on the 20th.



Governments in Italy, Austria and Ireland have also said they will stop flights from the UK.



Italian health authorities are also planning to ban entry of persons who have stayed in the UK for the last 14 days or who have passed through the UK, while promptly subjecting travelers from the UK who have already stayed in the country to be tested for COVID-19.



The Czech Republic has also said that quarantine measures will apply from this day on to anyone entering the country after staying in the UK for at least 24 hours in the past two weeks.



In response to these measures, Tira Eurostar has decided to cancel trains between London, England and Brussels, Belgium and Amsterdam, the Netherlands from the 21st.



There is also a discussion on the EU-level response.



French President Macron discussed the matter with German Chancellor Merkel, head of the EU administration, Fon der Leien, and the standing chairman of the EU summit Michel, the French presidential office, Elysees Palace, said.



In the second half of this year, an emergency meeting of EU member states was convened on the 21st of the local time to discuss the issue of the variant Corona 19. The dpa news agency said that coordination on Corona 19 was on the agenda.



Earlier, the British government imposed an emergency blockade as the coronavirus strain rapidly spread in southeast England, including London, the previous day.



British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said at a press conference: "There is no evidence that the virus causes serious illness or high mortality, but it has been shown to spread much faster." "I am very heartbroken to announce an emergency blockade."



(Photo = Getty Image Korea)