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France to restrict travel from Britain to fight omicron

Published:Thursday | December 16, 2021 | 2:33 PM
People wearing face masks to protect against COVID-19 cross the Trocadero Plaza in Paris, Wednesday, December 15, 2021. Authorities in France want to accelerate vaccinations against the coronavirus before Christmas as infections surge and more people with COVID-19 seek medical attention. Eiffel Tower in the background. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

PARIS (AP) — France will sharply restrict travel to and from Britain because of fast-spreading cases of the omicron coronavirus variant, putting limits on reasons for travelling and requiring 48-hour isolation upon arrival, the government said Thursday.

The move suddenly disrupted travel plans for families and others on both sides of the English Channel.

Travellers questioned whether the measures were politically driven, and United Kingdom officials suggested they were pointless.

Another puzzling element of the new French rules: Those targeting Britain are softer than those targeting South Africa, even though Britain's infection numbers are currently higher.

There was no immediate explanation for why.

With omicron now seeded around the world, “red list” travel bans “wouldn't be effective or proportionate,” said British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's spokesman, Max Blain.

He said Johnson hadn't spoken to French President Emmanuel Macron about the move, and that Britain doesn't plan to take a reciprocal measure.

The new French measures will take effect first thing Saturday, just after midnight, French Prime Minister Jean Castex said in a statement.

They will apply to vaccinated travellers as well those not vaccinated.

The French government is holding a special virus security meeting Friday that will address growing pressure on hospitals from rising infections in recent weeks.

French government spokesman Gabriel Attal said on BFM television that tourism and business travel to and from Britain will be strongly curtailed, and all those arriving from Britain will need to have a negative virus test less than 24 hours old, and to test again upon arrival and isolate “in a place they choose” for at least 48 hours pending the result.

All people arriving from South Africa must quarantine for 10 days.

Londoner Derek Lubner made it to Paris on Thursday just ahead of the deadline.

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