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UK cut off from EU, due to concerns over new Coronavirus strain

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LNW-GW Joint

LNW-GW Joint

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Reports are emerging that Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Austria will ban flights/trains from the UK from tonight, and Ireland is also considering travel bans, because of the new Covid strain identified in the UK.
It only needs France to follow and travel to the EU will essentially be stopped.
Not clear how it will affect freight and "essential travel".
I can't imagine there will be a halt to all traffic (including ferries) for more than a very short time.
The EU Commission is expected to pronounce an EU-wide position soon.
Looks like we needn't wait till January 1 to stop "free movement".
 
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adc82140

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As I said in another thread: Coincidence? I think not. This variant has been known about in September. Why announce it now? Border chaos, blame "the mutant", not Brexit.
 
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RomeoCharlie71

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BREAKING: Eurotunnel will close completely - to all travellers and freight - from 10pm tonight for at least 48 hours
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https://www.eurotunnel.com/uk/travelling-with-us/latest/covid-19/
Following the announcement by the French Government that it will not accept persons arriving from the UK for at least 48 hours from midnight CET, access to the Eurotunnel Folkestone terminal will be suspended for passenger and Freight traffic from 22:00 GMT, Sunday 20 December.
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Well then, certainly not what I expected. And that'll likely affect deliveries of the Pfizer vaccine too...
 
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DB

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RomeoCharlie71 said:
Well then, certainly not what I expected. And that'll likely affect deliveries of the Pfizer vaccine too...
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Why is it being closed to freight? Makes no sense in the context of the virus - is it Brexit-related?
 
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chris11256

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RomeoCharlie71 said:

https://www.eurotunnel.com/uk/travelling-with-us/latest/covid-19/

Well then, certainly not what I expected. And that'll likely affect deliveries of the Pfizer vaccine too...
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Agreed, looks like we’ll be cut off from any more vaccine deliveries from the continent.
Oh well, not like it matters & we’re desperate for a faster vaccine rollout to beat this hugely contagious new strain or anything.
 
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alex397

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Interesting. Hopefully all the lorries stuck in Kent will get through tonight otherwise it’s going to be an awful 48 hours for those lorry drivers.
 
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alex397

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adc82140 said:
No it won't. The military are on standby to airlift it if necessary.
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That is still affecting it though. Flying it in must be a lot more costly. But money is no object for this government.
(But at post above says, France to UK is unaffected).
 
Darandio

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chris11256 said:
Agreed, looks like we’ll be cut off from any more vaccine deliveries from the continent.
Oh well, not like it matters & we’re desperate for a faster vaccine rollout to beat this hugely contagious new strain or anything.
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There are already military contingency plans in place for this.
 
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DelayRepay

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alex397 said:
That is still affecting it though. Flying it in must be a lot more costly. But money is no object for this government.
(But at post above says, France to UK is unaffected).
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I think a lot of money has been wasted by this government, but I don't think cost should be a significant consideration when it comes to delivering the vaccine. This is a case where 'what ever it takes' is really appropriate.
 
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More chaos around Dover, this week's problems had only just eased off today :(

The vaccine was being flown in from Belgium anyway, wasn't it?
 
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Nicholas Lewis

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Only affects lorries with through drivers. A fair amount of traffic comes via trailer only on the ferries but ET don't offer that service. Mind you this shows you its about time more freight was through hauled by rail and this situation could be completely avoided as well as the traffic chaos and pollution these heavy lorry movement cause up through Kent.
 
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philjo

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BBC reporting that the port of Dover is also closed for outbound travel including freight from midnight for 48 hours as France has banned them entering French soil.
 
brad465

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If they did big up this new strain as either a distraction from something else and/or as an excuse to cancel Christmas and to explain the situation in the South-East, then it's just backfired spectacularly.
 
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Class 170101

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The thing to watch is whether the EU will allow any vaccine made within its borders the right to leave its borders. Donald Trump I think has already signed an executive Order to that effect, I seem to recall, covering the United States.
 
Mojo

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It sounds as if, instead of attempting to scare the population into complying with these last minute draconian restrictions, all Hancock and the rest of the government have done, by saying things like “out of control,” is scare foreign governments into closing the border and preventing any imports and exports.

Whilst open in theory in direction of toward the UK, many foreign drivers will be reluctant to cross because of the event they will be trapped, and many British drivers en route to collect food and other goods won’t be able to get to the continent in the first place to bring them back.
 
nlogax

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Series 1 of Brexit has been released a bit earlier than we all expected. To think there's a COBRA meeting about this tomorrow..comedic considering January 1st and all that.
 
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Cletus

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Think the thread title needs changing. It's a lot more widespread than Eurotunnnel.
 
bramling

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Mojo said:
It sounds as if, instead of attempting to scare the population into complying with these last minute draconian restrictions, all Hancock and the rest of the government have done, by saying things like “out of control,” is scare foreign governments into closing the border and preventing any imports and exports.

Whilst open in theory in direction of toward the UK, many foreign drivers will be reluctant to cross because of the event they will be trapped, and many British drivers en route to collect food and other goods won’t be able to get to the continent in the first place to bring them back.
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I hope this doesn’t cause more panic buying.
 
brad465

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bramling said:
I hope this doesn’t cause more panic buying.
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I hope the same, but a major news story of supplies being cut off, combined with potential fears it will be more than 48 hours (whether they come to fruition or not), means I think panic buying is inevitable in light of this news.
 
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chris11256

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This might be a situation where panic buying might be justified. If European countries carry this on we will very quickly start to see empty shelves in supermarkets.
 
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