Countries close their borders to London due to panic over the new dynasty

Britain is in semi-isolation with a ban on flights to and from it

Travelers at London Heathrow airport upon their arrival at a time when the world closes its borders with Britain.

A.F.B.

Yesterday, Britain became almost isolated after several countries banned travel to and from them, and closed the borders in front of them, due to fears of the new strain of the emerging corona virus, which highlighted the state of panic in the world, and caused confusion in the travel movement, and the possibilities of Britain's exposure There is a shortage of food just days before it is virtually excluded from the orbit of the European Union.

India, Poland, Switzerland, Russia and Hong Kong stopped flights with Britain, after its Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, warned that the new strain of the virus is highly contagious, by up to 70%.

Japan and South Korea said they were monitoring the situation.

A group of countries have already cut travel links with Britain, including: France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, Ireland, Belgium, Israel and Canada.

Officials also said that Jordan decided, yesterday, to suspend flights to and from Britain, from today until January 3.

The disclosure of the new strain, months before vaccines were made widely available, as expected, raised new fears of the pandemic, which has killed 1.7 million people around the world, and more than 67 thousand in Britain.

Yesterday, Australia confirmed two cases of infection with the new strain of Corona virus for travelers coming from Britain to New South Wales, in the first confirmation of cases of the fast-spreading strain in the Asia-Pacific region.

On the other hand, American officials indicated that the United States would not take a similar step at the present time, while Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison considered that imposing a 14-day quarantine on arrivals from Britain is sufficient to confront the emerging epidemic threat.

The health authorities in Hong Kong said that flights with the United Kingdom will be suspended today, and Canada, Chile and Argentina imposed, late the day before yesterday, restrictions on travel from Britain, and India followed suit yesterday by banning travel from Britain.

France closed its borders to people and trucks coming from the United Kingdom, closing one of the most important trade arteries between Britain and the mainland in Europe, in a move described by the Minister of Transport, Grant Shaps, as a surprise.

"I am in contact with my counterpart in France, and we are doing everything in our power to resume (the movement). They really informed us that they want to resume the transfer as soon as possible," Shabs said, in statements to Sky TV.

He added that lifting the embargo as soon as possible is a priority for him, but in light of Britain's preparations for the end of the transition period to leave the European Union, it was well prepared for the severance of ties.

The World Health Organization called on European countries to "double their restrictions", while a British government source said that the 27 European Union countries may adopt joint restrictions on travel from Britain, and that a unified response is being coordinated for travel by sea and land.

French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and European Council President Charles Michel made a call via the Internet, yesterday, about the issue, according to what was announced by the Elysee Palace.

Despite the prevailing state of anxiety, European Union experts concluded that the current vaccines against "Covid-19" are effective in preventing the new strain, according to what the German government announced on Sunday evening.

Johnson canceled Christmas plans for millions of Britons on Saturday due to the rapid spread of the new strain, although he said there was no evidence the strain was more deadly, or causing stronger symptoms.

• The current vaccines against "Covid-19" are effective in preventing the new strain.

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