LONDON (AP) British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is to chair a meeting of the government s emergency committee later Monday after France closed its borders to the U.K. to stem the spread of a new strain of the coronavirus circulating in London and the southeast of England.
The meeting of the COBRA civil contingencies committee comes amid warnings of “significant disruption” around the ports in the English Channel, with tailbacks going back miles into the southeastern English county of Kent.
The transport of freight is facing massive disruptions after France closed its borders for 48 hours, which means lorries cannot get across the English Channel by boat. The government has urged everyone to avoid traveling to Kent, which hosts many of the cross-Channel ports, notably at Dover. Eurotunnel has also suspended services.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will chair a meeting of the government’s emergency committee after France closed its borders to the UK to stem the spread of a new strain of the coronavirus circulating in London and the southeast of England.
The meeting of the COBRA civil contingencies committee later Monday comes amid warnings of “significant disruption” around the ports in the English Channel, with traffic backlogs stretching miles into the southeastern English county of Kent.
Freight transport is facing massive disruptions after France closed its borders for 48 hours, which means lorries cannot get across the English Channel by boat. The government has urged everyone to avoid travelling to Kent, which hosts many of the cross-Channel ports, notably at Dover. Eurotunnel has also suspended services.
Dr. Tom Price on the new coronavirus strain that has immobilized England and what you can do to stay safe here
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is to chair a meeting of the government s emergency committee later Monday after France closed its borders to arrivals from the U.K. to stem the spread of a new strain of the coronavirus circulating in London and the southeast of England.
The meeting of the COBRA civil contingencies committee comes amid warnings of significant disruption around the ports in the English Channel, with tailbacks going back miles into Kent, the county in southeastern England.
| UPDATED: 12:04, Mon, Dec 21, 2020
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Leading nations across Europe and other parts of the globe have shut their doors to Britain after the emergence of a new mutant Covid strain. The Prime Minister will hold an emergency meeting later today and has been warned of significant disruption around the Channel ports in Kent – with freight from Europe via France being blocked.
UK to hold virus crisis talks after France closes border
by Pan Pylas, The Associated Press
Posted Dec 21, 2020 4:08 am EDT
Last Updated Dec 21, 2020 at 4:13 am EDT
Police and port staff turn away a vehicle from the Port of Dover in Kent, England which has been closed after the French government s announcement, Monday, Dec. 21, 2020. France banned all travel from the United Kingdom for 48 hours from midnight Sunday, including trucks carrying freight through the tunnel under the English Channel or from the port of Dover on England s south coast. (Steve Parsons/PA via AP)
LONDON British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is to chair a meeting of the government’s emergency committee later Monday after France closed its borders to the U.K. to stem the spread of a new strain of the coronavirus circulating in London and the southeast of England.