In another development, Austria and Italy said they would halt flights from the U.K. but did not say exactly when that would take place.
The Czech Republic has imposed stricter quarantine measures on people arriving from Britain.
Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio, on Sunday, In a tweet said that Italy, once the epicenter of the pandemic in Europe earlier this year, suspended flights from Great Britain to protect Italians.
The U.K. Health Secretary Matt Hancock, also warned on Sunday that the new variant is out of control. In appearances on BBC’s shows, Hancock said everyone should act as if they have the virus, and suggested restrictions announced Saturday in Tier 4 areas could remain in place for at least the next several months until the vaccines can be distributed across the country.
German Health Minister Jens Spahn, on Sunday said that Germany also banned all passenger flights from the U.K. as of Sunday midnight, He said the government on Monday will impose additional restrictions on travel between the U.K. and South Africa after reviewing reports about mutated viruses.
Martina Fietz, spokeswoman for the federal government in Berlin, confirmed that German leaders were in contact with their European partners, and the federal police tweeted that people should only travel to the U.K. if it is absolutely necessary.
