简体中文
TOP HEADLINES
• **Both the UK and the European Union will hold separate emergency meetings on Monday after countries across the world banned travel **from Britain amid fears over a new strain of the virusprevalent in London and the South East area of England.
• Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Ireland, Norway and Turkey are among those to stops flights from the UK , while France has closed its borders to Britain for 48 hours.
• France's PresidentEmmanuel Macron has called on the country to be extravigilantafter theemergence of a newstrain.
• The European Union's drug regulator, the European Medicines Agency will decide on Monday whether to authorize thePfizer/BioNTech vaccine for use across member states.
• UK workers' unions are calling for urgent government support and protection for staff and services affected by the halt on travel across the rest of Europe.
• **Global cases have surpassed 76 million **since the start of the pandemic, according to the latest figures from the Johns Hopkins University.
• VirologistChristian Drosten says he expects the** new strain of the virus to already be circulating in Germany** but that he was"everything but worried"about its mutation at the moment.
• France's Health Minister Olivier Veran also said it was possible for the new strain to be circulating in France , although it has yet to be detected in the country.
• The UK's vaccination program will not be affected by France's decision to close its borders to freight vehicles , according to Transport Secretary Grant Shapps.
• **Supermarket chain, Sainsbury's has warned that some products could be missing from its UK shelves **due to current restrictions at ports but"all products for Christmas lunch are already in the country."
**CLICK: **
SHOULD WE BE WORRIED ABOUT NEW STRAINS OF THE VIRUS?
ACROSS EUROPE
Catherine Drew in London
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson will chair emergency talks at Downing Street on Monday morning after France and a dozen other European countries halted freight and travel from the UK.
There is already chaos around some ports including the busiest crossing, Dover, with lorries and their drivers stranded after ferries came to a halt late Sunday night for a 48-hour period.
There are fears of food shortages and severe disruption to the supply chain both in and out of the UK across the Christmas period.
More than 20 countries have now imposed travel restrictions, a response to the UK government announcement that large parts of England would enter "Tier 4" measures in a bid to curb a fast-spreading new variant of the COVID-19 virus, reported to be 70 percent more infectious.
There are also fears that the next batch of vaccine jabs could be affected by the closures, with reports the UK government may have to launch a military operation if the blockade is extended.
Toni Waterman in Brussels
The EU
EU Leaders will hold an emergency meeting on Monday to coordinate action on a UK travel ban.
At least 10 European countries, including France, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands, halted travel from the UK on Sunday in a bid to control a fast-spreading new strain of the coronavirus.
Coordinated efforts could include negative COVID-19 tests, although German newspaper
Bild
is reporting there could be an EU-wide ban on UK travel until January 6.
Belgium
As of midnight on Sunday, all trains and flights from the UK into Belgium were halted for at least 24 hours as the government tries to prevent a new variant of the coronavirus from taking hold in the country. The government will hold consultative talks with scientists on Monday to determine next steps.
Meanwhile, new infections continue to climb in Belgium with an average of 2,547 new cases a day last week, up 13 percent from the week before.
At least 112 people have become infected after Santa paid nursing home residents a visit in the province of Antwerp, while two have died.The man who dressed up as Father Christmas didn't realize he had the virus and only tested positive a few days after his visit.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson will chair emergency talks at Downing Street on Monday morning. /AP
Stefan de Vries in Amsterdam
The European Medicines Agency will hold a meeting in Amsterdam on Monday to assess the BioNTech and Pfizer vaccine, which it is expected to approve.
The agency will advise the European Commission, which will likely authorize the use of the vaccine in the 27 EU member states as of Thursday.
A new coronavirus strain recently discovered in the UK has probably also been found in the Netherlands, health authorities said.
As a precaution, The Netherlands banned all flights and ferries from the UK to The Netherlands with other European countries quick to follow the Dutch decision.
On Sunday, there were 13,066 new positive cases in The Netherlands, 784 more than on Saturday. While 32 people died, compared with 56 on Saturday.
Natalie Carney in Munich
On Sunday evening, The German Federal government imposed a ban on flights from the UK, effective from midnight, because of the new variant of the coronavirus. Passengers from South Africa are also being systematically checked, with expectations that entry restrictions will soon apply.
As the ban was being announced, a British Airways flight landed at Munich Airport. The passengers from London have been tested and are not allowed to leave the airport until the test results are available.
Meanwhile, the first vaccine against the coronavirus should now get the green light, but Germany's health minister, Jens Spahn, expects initial difficulties after approval as only a small amount of the vaccine will be available.
The EU's drug regulator, the European Medicines Agency, will decide on Monday whether to approve the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. /AP
FROM OUR GLOBAL COLLEAGUES
**CGTN Europe special: **
The Alps - Timeless and changing
CGTN China:
China's COVID-19 vaccines - looking at the concerns and advantages
CGTN America:
Moderna vaccine shipments to arrive across the U.S. on Monday
CGTN Africa:
Kenya reports 390 new COVID-19 cases, total number jumps to 94,151
Sign up
here
to get the COVID-19 Europe bulletin sent directly to your inbox.
CGTN Europe has been providing in-depth coverage of the novel coronavirus story as it has unfolded.
Here
you can read the essential information about the crisis.
