A number of countries in Europe have taken the decision to temporarily ban flights due from the UK over fears of the new covid strain reaching the continent.
Christmas plans have been cancelled for many and several parts of the country thrust into another lockdown as concerns rise over the danger posed by the new variant of coronavirus.
Early evidence suggests the the newly identified strain of covid-19 doesn't cause more severe illness, however, that the virus is spreading far more quickly than other forms.
Cases have already been identified in Scotland, prompting the Scottish Government to implement severe measures, such as the cancellation of a five-day relaxation of rules over the festive period and a return to level 4 lockdown for many areas, including Glasgow, on Boxing Day.
And over the weekend, a number of EU countries advised they were temporarily closing the borders to UK flight arrivals, in a bid to prevent the newly identified variant of the disease reaching their shores, with more expected to follow.
At the time of writing, the countries include:
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- France
- Italy
- Ireland
- Germany
- The Netherlands
- Denmark
- India
For all the latest on Scotland's battle against the coronavirus, you can follow our live blog here.
