Here’s a look at the nations which suspended flights from UK
In Europe, countries including Austria, Belgium, Italy, Ireland, Germany, France and the Netherlands announced ban on Sunday with others expected to follow. While countries such as Israel, Turkey and Saudi Arabia have also temporarily suspended flights departing from or arriving in the United Kingdom.
Saudi Arabia on Sunday temporarily suspended international flights and entry through its land and sea ports for at least a week. However, the suspension does not apply to international aircraft currently in the kingdom, which will be allowed to leave. Kuwait also followed the ban on passenger flights from Britain over the new strain of the virus.
Germany aims to suspend all air traffic from Britain late Sunday and review the ban on Dec. 31. Irish Transport Minister Eamon Ryan said his nation will impose 48-hour restrictions on flights and ferries from Britain starting Monday and review the regulations later. The Netherlands was the first European nation to ban flights from the UK until at least the end of the year. Belgium on Sunday ordered a 24-hour ban on flights and trains to and from the United Kingdom.
As per the Saudi Press Agency, the kingdom is "temporarily suspending all international flights -- except in exceptional cases -- for a period of one week, which can be extended by another week."
Those passengers who have arrived in Saudi Arabia from Europe -- or any country where the new strain was detected -- starting December 8 will be required to self isolate for two weeks, and undergo testing.
Canada has also banned incoming flights from the UK for 72 hours to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus strain, according to a statement from Health Canada.
What’s the fear?
In UK, officials have reported that a mutation of the virus seems to speed its transmission, which have led to new restrictions on around 18 million people in London and across southern England.
The British government on Saturday indicated that the new strain appeared to be spreading 70% faster than the pervious variants leading to a surge in cases in London and its neighbouring regions. The number of cases across the UK rose 51% over the week before.
British Health Secretary Matt Hancock has stated that "the new variant is out of control, as per the BBC news." Italy's Health Ministry confirmed that scientists had detected the UK mutation in a person who returned to Italy from Britain "in the last few days."
The British government has gone ahead to impose restrictions on the affected regions, which includes the closure of all nonessential retail, and shelved its plans to allow a five-day truce of Covid-19 restrictions across the country over Christmas where three households could mingle.
Along with the US and UK, Saudi Arabia also kicked off a three-phase Covid-19 vaccination programme, after the first shipments of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine arrived in the kingdom.
What's India action?
India has been put on alert over a new Covid strain which was discovered in the UK. The Health Ministry has called a meeting on Monday of its joint monitoring group on Covid-19 to discuss a mutant coronavirus that has spread rapidly in the UK, government sources have said.
The World Health Organisation's India representative Roderico H Ofrin, who is also a member of the monitoring group, is likely to participate in the meeting.