France tightens travel restrictions on Omicron-hit UK

Paris: France is tightening Covid restrictions for travellers arriving from the UK, as the government in Paris tries to slow the spread of the Omicron variant.

The French prime minister’s office said that from Saturday travellers would have to give a compelling reason for coming to France. All arrivals will have to provide a negative Covid test less than 24 hours old and isolate for at least two days. Confirmed Omicron cases are currently much higher in the UK than in France.

French citizens, their partners and children, legal residents, and EU citizens travelling home through France, won’t need an essential reason to travel - but must still abide by all other rules. The UK recorded 78,610 new Covid cases on Wednesday, the highest daily number reported since the start of the pandemic.

The abrupt move comes after weeks of political tensions between France and Britain over post-Brexit fishing rights and how to deal with migration in dangerous small boats across the English Channel.

It also comes as France’s government is desperately trying to avoid a new lockdown or stricter measures that would hurt the economy and cloud President Emmanuel Macron’s expected campaign for the April presidential election. –(Agencies)