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Business News/ News / World/  UK Covid curbs: PM Johnson to chair emergency response meeting on travel, freight
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UK Covid curbs: PM Johnson to chair emergency response meeting on travel, freight

'The prime minister will chair a COBR (emergency response) meeting tomorrow to discuss the situation regarding international travel, in particular the steady flow of freight into and out of the UK,' a spokeswoman for PM Boris Johnson's office said

A passenger walks at Fiumicino airport after the Italian government announced all flights to and from the UK will be suspended over fears of a new strain of the coronavirus. (REUTERS)Premium
A passenger walks at Fiumicino airport after the Italian government announced all flights to and from the UK will be suspended over fears of a new strain of the coronavirus. (REUTERS)

To discuss international travel, in particular, the flow of freight in and out of Britain, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson will chair an emergency response meeting on Monday, according to reports.

"The prime minister will chair a COBR (emergency response) meeting tomorrow to discuss the situation regarding international travel, in particular the steady flow of freight into and out of the UK. Further meetings are happening this evening and tomorrow morning to ensure robust plans are in place," news agency Reuters quoted a spokeswoman for PM Boris Johnson's office as saying.

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On Covid-19 curbs, Britain's health minister said London and southeast England may stay under tighter restrictions for some time. He also said that a fast-spreading new strain forced the government to drop plans to ease restrictions for Christmas.

The UK government faced criticism for imposing an effective lockdown on over 16 million people just days before Christmas, but Matt Hancock said the decision was taken speedily after new evidence showed the new strain was responsible for spiralling coronavirus cases.

Earlier on Sunday, several European countries began closing their doors to travellers from Britain after the country tightened coronavirus restrictions in London and southern England.

France said it would bar all people coming from the UK for 48 hours from Sunday night, including freight carriers, whether by road, air, sea or rail. Britain's port of Dover said its ferry terminal was closed.

Transport minister Grant Shapps urged Britons, especially hauliers, not to travel to ports in Kent in southern England, warning on Twitter that "we expect significant disruption in the area".

The travel restrictions come at a difficult time for many British companies, which are engaged in last-minute stockpiling before Dec. 31, when a status-quo transition period with the European Union ends and new customs rules come into effect.

Doug Bannister, chief executive at the port of Dover, told Reuters earlier this month that Europe's biggest trucking port was already seeing almost record volumes of trade.

UK is battling to contain new waves of the killer virus. The number of Covid-19 cases in Britain surged by 35,928 on Sunday, the highest daily rise since the start of the novel coronavirus pandemic, and it recorded 326 fatalities, taking the death toll to over 67,000.

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Published: 21 Dec 2020, 08:22 AM IST
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