France joins a growing list of countries to ban travel to the U.K. amid concerns about a new virus strain

PARIS (AP) — France joins a growing list of countries to ban travel to the U.K. amid concerns about a new Covid-19 strain.

One by one, several European Union nations have banned flights from the U.K. and others were considering similar action, in a bid to block a new strain of coronavirus sweeping across southern England from establishing a strong foothold on the continent.

France joined Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria and Italy – who on Sunday all announced restrictions on U.K. travel, hours after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that Christmas shopping and gatherings in southern England must be canceled.

He blamed rapidly spreading infections in the region on the new coronavirus variant that officials say is 70% more transmissible than existing strains. Johnson immediately put those regions into a strict new Tier 4 restriction level, upending Christmas plans for millions.