Paris: Amid risks posed by contagious Coronavirus variant (B1.617.2) which was first detected in India, France has declared a mandatory quarantine for seven days for people coming from Britain. The orders came after Austria banned direct flights and tourist visits from Britain, and Germany. Prior to that, Britain and Germany announced a two-week mandatory quarantine for anyone entering from the UK.
“(France) will set up compulsory isolation for people coming from the United Kingdom,” Reuters quoted Government spokesman Gabriel Attal as saying.
Apart from undergoing mandatory quarantine, the visitors will also be required to present a COVID-19 test carried out less than 48 hours before departure. The measures are likely to come into effect on Monday.
According to the latest Public Health England (PHE) data released last week, B1.617.2 VOC cases had risen by 2,111 over the previous week to hit 3,424 cases across the UK and experts are certain of its higher transmissibility than the dominant local B1.1.7 VOC, first discovered in the England county of Kent. The health officials continue to monitor both mutations to try and keep the UK’s planned end to lockdown on track for June 21.
On May 25, the UK reported more than 4,480,760 confirmed cases and over 127,986 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 tracker.