The United Kingdom economy may go into serious stress as more than 40 countries have suspended travel from Britain in a bid to contain a fast-spreading new strain of the dreaded coronavirus pandemic.
This is coming on the heels of a latest decision by Scotland to close its border with the rest of the United Kingdom.
According to Agency reports, some of the travel restrictions announced so far include the following:
1. France
France has halted all travel from Britain for 48 hours, including anyone transporting goods by road, air, sea or rail. Reports indicate that Paris and London are currently in discussions over possibility of conducting testing at ports to reopen the border.
2. Germany
Germany is extending a ban on all arrivals from the UK and South Africa — where the new strain has also appeared — until January 6.
3.Spain and Portugal
Spain and Portugal are suspending flights, with Madrid only allowing its nationals or residents to enter from Britain.
4. India
India has suspended all flights until December 31, with anyone arriving from Britain on transit flights to be tested. Its financial capital, Mumbai is being put under curfew over fears of the latest British strain.
5.Poland
Poland which is said to have a large ex-pat community in Britain has curiously banned all incoming UK flights.
6. Hong Kong
The former British colony has banned all incoming UK flights, and extended the quarantine of passengers who arrived from Britain in the last fortnight.
7.Netherlands
Passenger flights from Britain have been banned until January 1. One case of the new strain has been found in the Netherlands.
8. Ireland
Flights from Britain from Monday to Ireland have been banned for at least 48 hours.
9. Italy
Italy has blocked flights from Britain and prohibited entry of people who have stayed there during the last 14 days.
10. Russia
Moscow is suspending British flights for a week.
11. The Rest of Europe
Finland and Austria are suspending flights for two weeks and Switzerland until further notice, with travellers who have arrived from Britain or South Africa ordered into quarantine.
Correspondingly, the Baltic nations such as Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania as well as Hungary and Luxembourg have also halted flights, while in the Balkans, Croatia, Macedonia and Albania followed suit with Bulgaria and suspended them until January 31.
Romania has banned all flights to and from the UK for two weeks, as has the Czech Republic. Norway, Sweden, and Denmark suspended flights for 48 hours.
Denmark has detected nine cases of the new strain on its soil. Belgium has suspended both flights and Eurostar rail services.
12. Canada
Canada has banned all UK flights for 72 hours, with those who had already arrived from Britain subject to screenings.
13. Turkey
Turkey has suspended flights from Britain, Denmark, the Netherlands and South Africa.
14. Middle East
Saudi Arabia and Oman said they were closing their borders entirely for at least a week. Israel said it was barring entry to foreign citizens travelling from Britain, Denmark and South Africa, while Jordan is banning UK flights for a fortnight, as is Iran.
Kuwait has added Britain to a list of “high-risk” nations and banned flights.
15. Africa
Countries such as Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia have all banned flights from Britain, with Algeria deciding to stop repatriating its nationals. Mauritius, a former British colony, has also barred travel from the UK and South Africa.
16. Latin America
Anyone who had been in Britain or South Africa in the past 30 days will not be allowed to enter El Salvador. The same goes for Panama and Paraguay.
Peru has however gone a step further by banning all flights from Europe and any foreigner who had been in Britain in the last 14 days.
Chile and Argentina have banned flights from the UK, with anyone without a Chilean residence permit who had been in Britain in the past two weeks barred.
Meanwhile, for Nigeria, the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 has said the Federal government is reviewing the situation and would unveil further steps as developments unfold.
PTF Chairman and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha who spoke on behalf of the FG said government was monitoring the situation closely in partnership with development agencies such as the WHO.
