Countries ban UK travel amid mass panic over new coronavirus strain
Fox News medical contributor Dr. Marc Siegel joins 'Tucker Carlson Tonight' with the latest developments.
The mandate requiring all international travelers landing in the U.K. to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test result upon arrival has been extended to at least Feb. 15, officials said.
All travelers flying into the U.K. must get a coronavirus test 72 hours before arriving. The news comes as more countries are tightening travel restrictions as COVID cases continue to rise with a new contagious strain that was traced back to England.
The U.K. is extending its travel ban without proof of negative COVID tests to Feb. 15. (AP Photo/Max Duncan) (AP)
"This urgent action is in response to increasing concern over the transmissibility and virulence of new strains evolving internationally. It will also ensure that the government is able to protect the progress being made on the country’s vaccination program," the U.K.'s Department for Transport said in a statement on its website.
"This move will be supported by increased enforcement, both at the border and across the U.K., with Border Force increasing the number of spot checks on passengers that have entered the country," the statement continued.
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Travelers will be screened for a negative COVID test upon arrival to the U.K. and could be sanctioned with fines of upward of $600, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in a press briefing as reported by the BBC. Passengers will still be required to quarantine for 10 days.
UK-BOUND TRAVELERS MUST SHOW NEGATIVE COVID-19 TEST AT BORDER
England has also banned people from entering from more than a dozen countries, including several South American countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Uruguay, along with Portugal and Cape Verde, following a new variant of the virus found in Brazil. Travelers departing from the listed countries in the last 10 days will not be granted access to the U.K., officials said.
AMERICAN AIRLINES LAUNCHES FIRST HEALTH PASSPORT FOR INTERNATIONAL TRAVELERS FLYING INTO THE US
The news comes as major airlines begin testing out global health "passports," allowing international travelers to upload negative COVID-19 tests to an app. American Airlines on Thursday announced its own mobile health passport on its app VeriFly to help support the new U.S. government order requiring all travelers flying into the U.S. to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test.