Europe isolates UK over new Covid strain, bans travel

Several European countries banned flights and freight links with the UK on Sunday as the new Covid-19 variant sent the number of new cases soaring. PM Boris Johnson has called an emergency meeting over the new traffic restrictions. France banned freight traffic through Eurotunnel for 48 hours from Sunday night. It also suspended air traffic with the UK for 48 hours. Other European countries such as Ireland, Germany, Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands also banned flights to and from the UK, while others were considering doing so. The Eurostar trains to Belgium are also not operating.