All flights from South America are to be grounded from Friday in an effort to prevent the new mutant strain of coronavirus detected in Brazil from reaching the United Kingdom.
The ban covers routes from 15 countries as well as services from Portugal which has close ties with Brazil.
The move was approved by ministers following the discovery of the highly infectious variant this week. It follows the decision to suspend all flights from South Africa where another very transmissable strain of the virus has emerged.
Travellers from Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela in South Africa will be barred as well as arrivals from Panama in central America and from the Cape Verde islands off the African coast.
Grant Shapps, the Transport Secretary, said the ban on South American flights would come into force at 4am on Friday.
‘Risk’ of resistance to vaccine
He added: “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 goods.
“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.”
The moves were approved by ministers following the discovery of the highly infectious variant this week.
Sir Patrick Vallance, the Government’s chief scientific adviser, has warned there was a “bit more of a risk” it could be resistant to vaccines but said it would be “relatively easy” to adapt those jabs if necessary.
Variant causing ‘concern’
Boris Johnson told MPs on Wednesday: “We are concerned about the new Brazilian variant. We already have tough measures, as you know, to stop from new infections come from abroad.
“We are taking steps to do that in response to the Brazilian variation.”
Earlier Mr Shapps announced that new rules requiring travellers arriving in England to have a negative coronavirus test have been delayed “to give international arrivals time to prepare”.
The requirement for passengers arriving in England by boat, train or plane – including UK nationals – to test negative for Covid up to 72 hours before leaving the country of departure was due to come into force at 4am on Friday.
But it has been pushed back until the same time on Monday, amid concern that guidance on which tests would be accepted had not been published early enough.
Yvette Cooper, chairwoman of the Commons Home Affairs Committee, described the delay in introducing the new rules as “truly shocking”.
