United Kingdom bans flights from Portugal
The British government has banned flights to the UK from several countries, including Portugal, following the discovery of a new coronavirus variant in Brazil.
Travelling from Portugal to the United Kingdom is again impossible. The British Secretary of State for Transport announced this Thursday that the Boris Johnson’s government had decided to suspend flights to the UK from several countries, including Portugal, following the discovery of a new variant of coronavirus in Brazil.
“I’ve taken the urgent decision to ban arrivals from Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela, as of tomorrow, January 15 at 4 am, following evidence of a new variant in Brazil,” wrote Grant Shapps in his official Twitter account.
Portugal was also included in the list. “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 good,” he added.
In another tweet, the Secretary of State also said that “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.”
On Wednesday, British health authorities discovered a new variant of coronavirus from Brazil, and on that day the government itself admitted it would take action.