By Amy Cassidy, Duarte Mendonca and Marnie Hunter | CNN
In an effort to guard towards new coronavirus variants, the UK will shut all journey corridors from 4 a.m. native time Monday.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson introduced the transfer in a information convention Friday, emphasizing that the one technique to get into the nation is by having a destructive coronavirus take a look at end result.
The emergency measures can be in place for at the least one month, based on the Division for Transport.
“Which means that in case you come to this nation, you could have proof of a destructive Covid take a look at that you simply’ve taken within the 72 hours earlier than leaving. And you could have stuffed in your passenger locator kind, and your airline will ask for proof of each earlier than you’re taking off,” Johnson stated.
“You might also be checked while you land and face substantial fines for refusing to conform, and upon arrival, you could then quarantine for 10 days, not leaving your house for any purpose in any respect. Or take one other take a look at on day 5 and look forward to proof of one other destructive end result. And we can be stepping up our enforcement, each on the border and within the nation,” Johnson added.
The measures apply to all vacationers, together with British and Irish nationals.
Elevated enforcement will assist the brand new guidelines, together with extra spot checks on passengers which have entered the nation, the Division for Transport stated in a information launch.
The transfer suspends journey corridors which have been in place between the UK and quite a lot of locations since July 2020.
“The extent of danger related to the emergence of latest variants globally has now elevated, requiring extra stringent measures to dam all potential avenues by which new strains of the virus may enter the UK whereas we contemplate how finest to reply,” the Division for Transport stated.
