COVID-19: UK Imposes Travel Ban On 11 African Countries

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As a measure to prevent further spread of the dreaded COVID-19 disease, especially the latest variant found in South America, which continues to have a very devastating effect on England and around the world, the United Kingdom has imposed a travel ban on 11 African countries, including Zambia, Malawi, and Lesotho.

Other countries included in the ban order are Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Eswatini, Mozambique, Angola, Seychelles, and Mauritius.

The Travel ban was made known in a press statement titled, ‘Travel restrictions update: South Africa ban extended, Israel (and Jerusalem)’ on the UK’s government”

The statement revealed that the ban would be in place for two weeks and takes effect from Saturday, 9 January, 2021.

Recall that the UK already placed a travel ban on South Africa on 23 December, 2020, and has now extended it to 11 other African countries.

The statement reads:

“Entry into England will be banned to those who have traveled from or through any southern African country in the last 10 days, including Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Eswatini, Zambia, Malawi, Lesotho, Mozambique, and Angola – as well as Seychelles and Mauritius.

“This does not include British and Irish Nationals, longer-term visa holders and permanent residents, who will be able to enter but are required to self-isolate for 10 days on arrival along with their household.

“The government has therefore also removed Botswana, Seychelles, and Mauritius from the travel corridor list, with the changes coming into place from 4 am on Saturday 9 January 2021.

“Any exemptions usually in place – including for those related to employment – will not apply and those British nationals arriving into England from the other southern African countries, Seychelles and Mauritius after 4 am on Saturday 9 January cannot be released from self-isolation through Test to Release. People sharing a household with anyone self-isolating from these countries will also have to self-isolate for 10 days.

“Ministers have also removed Israel (and Jerusalem) from the government’s travel corridor list, as data from the Joint Biosecurity Centre and Public Health England has indicated a significant change in both the level and pace of confirmed cases of coronavirus. The decision to remove Israel (and Jerusalem) has been made following a sustained and accelerating increase in COVID-19 cases per 100,000 of the population, similar in trajectory to the UK.”