The government has made an 'urgent decision' to ban arrivals from sixteen countries over concerns about a new Brazilian strain of coronavirus.
South America, Panama, Portugal and Cape Verde will be subject to a travel ban from 4am on Friday, transport secretary Grant Shapps announced.
He said travel from Portugal was being suspended because of its “strong travel links with Brazil”, but there will be an exemption for hauliers travelling from Portugal to allow the transport of essential goods.
Prime minister Boris Johnson said he was “very concerned” about the variant yesterday and told MPs that extra measures would be put in place to prevent the variant being imported to the UK.
The sixteen countries that will face new restrictions from tomorrow are:
- Argentina
- Brazil
- Bolivia
- Cape Verde
- Chile
- Colombia
- Ecuador
- French Guiana
- Guyana
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Portugal
- Suriname
- Uruguay
- Venezuela
The news comes as the UK Covid-19 variant, named B117, continues to rapidly spread across the country, and weeks after direct flights from South Africa were banned to try to limit the spread of the more contagious variant coming from there.
In a statement on Twitter, Mr Shapps said: "I’ve taken the urgent decision to ban arrivals from Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela – from tomorrow, 15 Jan at 4AM following evidence of a new variant in Brazil.
"Travel from Portugal to the UK will also be suspended given its strong travel links with Brazil – acting as another way to reduce the risk of importing infections.
"However, there is an exemption for hauliers travelling from Portugal (only), to allow transport of essential goods.
"This measure does not apply to British and Irish Nationals and third country nationals with residence rights – but passengers returning from these destinations must self-isolate for ten days along with their households."
Meanwhile, health secretary Matt Hancock said three million coronavirus vaccine doses have now been administered across the UK.
He tweeted that he was “delighted” with the news, adding: “We’re accelerating the Covid vaccine rollout across the UK.”
Some large high street pharmacies, including Boots and Superdrug, have begun the process of administering vaccines.
