THE HAGUE (Associated Press) — The Netherlands is banning flights from the United Kingdom at least for the rest of the year in an attempt to make sure that a new strain of the COVID-19 virus in Britain does not reach its shores.
The ban came into effect Sunday morning and the government said it was reacting to tougher measures imposed in and around London on Saturday.
The Netherlands said it will assess “with other European Union nations the possibilities to contain the import of the virus from the United Kingdom.”
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that a fast-moving new variant of the coronavirus that is 70% more transmissible than existing strains appears to be driving the rapid spread of infections in London and southern England.
