These are the countries that have banned travel to and from the UK so far
France has become the latest of the European countries to ban all travel and freight from the UK which has prompted the Prime Minister to hold crisis talks with ministers on Monday morning.
Here is what we know so far about which nations have introduced a UK travel ban:
Which European countries have banned flights from the UK?
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Hide AdFrance, Germany, Italy, Poland, Belgium, Austria, Bulgaria, Finland, Denmark and the Netherlands have all said they will halt flights arriving from the UK.
The Czech Republic has imposed stricter quarantine measures for people arriving from Britain.
Which other countries have implemented travel bans?
Turkey and Morocco have announced they will be suspending air travel from the UK, while the official Saudi Press Agency reports Saudi Arabia is also suspending international flights for one week.
El Salvador is barring entry to anyone who has visited the UK in the preceding 30 days.
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Hide AdCanadian prime minister Justin Trudeau said from midnight Sunday, Canada was putting a 72-hour stop on flights from the UK.
When do the flight bans start and how long do they last?
The Netherlands ban came into force on Sunday morning, with it due to last for at least the rest of the year.
Belgium’s prime minister Alexander De Croo issued a flight ban order for 24 hours starting at midnight on Sunday.
Italy’s health minister Roberto Speranza said an order was signed on Sunday blocking flights from Britain and preventing anyone who had been to the UK in the last 14 days from entering Italy. The order bans plane travel until January 6.
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Hide AdAustria’s ban on flights from the UK starts at midnight on December 22 and anyone arriving in the country before that date must quarantine for 10 days. It is unclear how long the ban will last.
Germany said it was banning flights from the UK starting at midnight, Berlin time, on Sunday, with the German dpa news agency reporting it would remain in place until at least December 31.
France has banned all travel from the UK for 48 hours from midnight on Sunday.
Bulgaria said it was temporarily ceasing flights to and from the UK from midnight on Sunday.
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Hide AdFinland is due to suspend all passenger flights with the UK for two weeks from Monday.
Poland is also due to halt flights from midnight on Monday, though it is not yet known how long the ban will be in place.
Denmark said all flights from Great Britain would be halted for 48 hours from Monday.
What is the situation with Ireland?
The Irish Government said on Sunday that it was imposing a 48-hour ban on flights from Britain to Ireland.
The restrictions come into force at midnight on Sunday.
– Is anyone exempt from the bans?
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Hide AdIreland’s transport minister Eamon Ryan said ferries will continue to operate for freight between Britain and Ireland.
The German government said exemptions from its flight ban include repatriation flights of planes and their crews, postal, freight or empty flights and aircraft carrying medical personnel.
The Bulgarian embassy in London said on its website that Bulgarian citizens and their families, as well as permanent residents in Bulgaria, were able to enter the country subject to a 10-day quarantine if they fly through a different country or enter Bulgaria on land or by sea.
Governments to hold meetings over bans
An EU crisis meeting has been called for Monday to discuss the coordination of the response to coronavirus among the 27 member states.
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Hide AdThe UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) regards other countries’ travel restrictions as a matter for their own governments.
It was previously understood to be in touch with international partners and monitoring the situation closely.
But late on Sunday night No 10 revealed that Prime Minister Boris Johnson is due to chair a meeting of the UK Government’s Cobra civil contingencies committee on Monday.
What has triggered the UK travel ban?
A mutant strain of coronavirus sweeping across London and the south east of England has prompted the EU nations to start restricting inbound flights from the UK.
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Hide AdDuring an emergency press conference on Saturday, Mr Johnson said there was “no evidence” the new variant “causes more severe illness or higher mortality” but “it does appear to be passed on significantly more easily”.
He said the new strain could be up to 70 per cent more transmissible than the old virus variant.
Are international train and ferry links running?
Eurostar said it was unable to run trains from London to Paris, Brussels, Lille or Amsterdam on Monday or Tuesday.
Trains to London from Paris will continue to operate, with the rail company saying it planned to resume services to and from the UK on Wednesday.
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Hide AdEurotunnel said access to its UK site was prohibited from 10pm after its last train left at 9.34pm.
Dover’s ferry terminal has also closed to “all accompanied traffic leaving the UK” after France moved to shut its border.
Can I travel abroad?
Since news of the mutant strain spreading across South East England and Wales, the four nations have taken a different approach. Those living in Scotland, which goes under full lockdown (islands exempt) from Boxing Day are strongly advised not to travel abroad and travel to the rest of the UK is banned. Wales has gone into full lockdown, and those living under Tier 4 in England should not travel abroad.