Britain said on Friday it would add Bangladesh, Kenya, Pakistan, and the Philippines to its travel “red list”. It banned entry to people arriving from those countries unless they are British or Irish nationals.
Those who come to Britain from countries on the red list will be refused entry. Meanwhile, returning Britons must submit to 10 days of mandatory quarantine in hotels.
From 4 am on April 9, Pakistan, Kenya, the Philippines, and Bangladesh will be put on the list, the government said. The countries joined about three dozen other nations mainly in Africa, the Middle East and South America.
There have been calls for the inclusion of some European countries where COVID-19 cases have surged. But the government has said it currently has no plans to do so, said Reuters.
Pakistani PM rules out general lockdown
Prime Minister Imran Khan ruled out a general lockdown while acknowledging the country was going through a third wave of the pandemic.
Pakistan reported 4,757 new infections and 78 deaths on March 30. It has two-thirds of ventilators and around 80% of beds with oxygen facilities in major cities occupied.
“We have to adopt a balanced policy where the spread of the virus can be prevented and where the poor man and the country’s economy are least affected,” Khan told a national coordinating committee meeting. In March, PM also tested positive for the virus but has now recovered.
Pakistan has opted for what officials call “smart lockdowns” – short-term restrictions imposed often at the neighborhood level – to try to tame the disease while keeping the economy afloat. Pakistan recently started a COVID-19 vaccination drive, starting with the elderly.
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