NEARLY one year into the coronavirus pandemic the UK Government has revealed it is looking at closing the borders altogether.
Countries which have been able to restrict travel and implement strict quarantine rules, such as Australia and New Zealand, have generally been considered to be more successful in the fight against the virus.
It emerged this week that the UK has the worst virus death rate in the world, with more than 90,000 lives lost to Covid-19.
Only in recent weeks have the UK Government taken further steps to stop the virus spreading via the borders. Previously “travel corridors” meant people could enter the UK from certain countries without needing to quarantine.
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Now people arriving in the UK must have had a negative Covid-19 test within the three days prior to arriving in the airport, and must isolate for 10 days regardless of where they travelled from.
The Environment Secretary, George Eustice, has now confirmed ministers are looking at the idea of shutting the borders completely to non-residents from anywhere across the world.
Travel from South America and southern Africa is banned currently as mutant Covid-19 strains have emerged in those areas.
"Well look, we always keep these things under review - and it’s been considered,” Eustice told Sky News this morning.
"There is concern at the moment about the number of mutant strains that there are.
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“As different strains of this coronavirus are cropping up in other countries, [and there are] concerns that there’s a risk that one day there will be a strain that might be able to evade the vaccine.
"That’s why last week the Prime Minister toughened up the current restrictions… That’s the right approach for now but obviously everything’s always kept under review.”
According to The Telegraph the option of banning non-British travellers from entering the UK is being looked at again after having been rejected by the Prime Minister.
Other plans being discussed include forcing people arriving in the UK to quarantine in airport hotels.
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