More than 30 countries shut doors to UK travelers

More than 30 countries have banned UK arrivals because of concerns at the spread of a new variant of coronavirus, the BBC reports.

Flights from the UK have been suspended in nations in Europe and across the world including India and Hong Kong.

On Sunday evening, France shut its border with the UK for 48 hours, meaning no lorries or ferries will be able to sail from the port of Dover.

The French government said on Monday it will establish a protocol "to ensure movement from the UK can resume".

The prime minister is due to chair a meeting of the government's emergency committee and will hold a press conference at Downing Street later.

European Union member states are meeting in Brussels to discuss a co-ordinated response.

In a post shared on Twitter by the French Embassy in the UK, French Transport Minister Jean-Baptiste Djebbari said: "In the next few hours, at European level, we're going to establish a solid health protocol to ensure that movement from the UK can resume."

He added the "priority" was to "protect our nationals and our fellow citizens.'

Eurotunnel spokesman John Keefe said he hoped travel from the UK to France could begin on Wednesday or Thursday.

"We expect it will be something around testing," he told BBC Radio 5 Live.

Other countries to impose a ban on UK arrivals include Belgium, Canada, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Romania, Russia and Switzerland.