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22ND - 28TH DECEMBER 2020 - EDITION 870
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Your Essential Weekly Read
Travel chaos as countries close borders to UK passengers See Main Advert on page 26-27
There was travel chaos at ports and airports in the UK on Monday as countries around the world closed borders to passengers from the UK due to the appearance of a new strain of Coronavirus in the United Kingdom
which is described as “out of control”. The Government of Spain indicated on Sunday that it will carry out stricter verifications of PCR tests at airports and ports for anyone entering Spain from the UK. At the time of going to press, the Spanish government had ruled out suspending flights and ferries from the UK but over the weekend, the Netherlands, Belgium, Bulgaria, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Ireland, France, Sweden, Canada, Turkey and Hong Kong decided to close borders to UK passengers in a bid to stop the spread of the new, more infectious, strain of coronavirus. India will suspend inbound UK flights from midnight tonight (Tuesday) while Israel, Iran, Croatia, Argentina, Chile, Morocco and Kuwait have also imposed
restrictions on UK travel. Saudi Arabia has suspended all international flights for one week because of the pandemic. Outbound train services through the Channel Tunnel have also been halted. France closed its border with the UK for 48 hours, with no lorries or ferry passengers able to sail from the port of Dover. Lorries bound for Spain, via France, were stuck in queues at UK ports with many giving up and turning back. Ireland banned passengers on flights and ferries for 48 hours, but will allow freight to keep supply chains open. EU member states met on Monday to coordinate an approach to the developing situation but it was not confirmed when we went to press if Spain will continue to allow UK passengers to arrive as per Sunday’s
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