Forty countries have blocked air, sea and land travel to and the United Kingdom. Many European countries, Canada, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Russia, India, and Colombia are the countries. The reason is because a new strain of COVID-19 that is spreading the UK. The new coronavirus is a mutant - this means it has changed the original virus that started spreading the beginning the year. Some nations have blocked transport links to the UK a few days; others for at least two weeks. Many countries say they are reviewing the situation. The biggest problems are being caused a travel ban from France. A lot of the UK's food comes the English Channel from France.
The UK government says the mutant virus is 70 per cent more infectious than the original coronavirus. It said the mutant strain is so fast-spreading that it is " of control". London and many other parts the country are now lockdown. The government has issued new rules mixing with other people. This means most people will only be able to spend Christmas the people they live with. They cannot travel to see any other family members or friends. An opposition leader said: "The news the last 24 hours has been deeply disturbing. The number coronavirus cases has nearly doubled the last week." The UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson assured people that there would be enough food.
