France eases ban on British travel meant to stop spread of mutated coronavirus strain

Name: Coronavirus: UK issues toughest Tier 4 Covid-19 restrictions, countries ban flights from Britain
Uploaded: 2020-12-22T19:49:47.000Z
Duration: 3 min 38 s
Description: Coronavirus: UK issues toughest Tier 4 Covid-19 restrictions, countries ban flights from Britain

Deal allows French and other EU residents to return home, provided they have recently tested negative for Covid-19

Restrictions have led to thousands of trucks being held up in England, with some supermarket shelves stripped bare just days before Christmas

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A police car passes long lines of freight lorries and goods vehicles on a closed section of the motorway leading to the Port of Dover in England on Tuesday. Photo: AFP

Reuters

Published: 3:49am, 23 Dec 2020Updated: 4:57am, 23 Dec 2020

France will reopen its borders to passengers from England on Wednesday, ending a blockade intended to stop the spread of a new coronavirus variant, but which has held up thousands of trucks before Christmas.

Much of the world shut its borders to Britain after a mutated coronavirus variant was discovered spreading swiftly across southern England.

With queues of trucks snaking to the horizon in England and some supermarket shelves stripped just days before Christmas, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson scrambled to get French President Emmanuel Macron to lift a ban on freight from Britain.

Late on Tuesday a deal was reached with Paris to allow French and other EU residents to return home, providing they have a negative Covid-19 test that is less than 72 hours old.

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Coronavirus: UK issues toughest Tier 4 Covid-19 restrictions, countries ban flights from Britain

Britain said further details would be provided later on Tuesday, but still advised trucks not to travel to the Kent region where the most heavily used rail and ferry links are.