France tightens curbs for UK travellers amid Omicron surge

France has banned non-essential travel to and from UK, which has been reporting a spike in Covid cases ever since it reported the first case of the Omicron variant.

Only those with “compelling reasons” will be allowed to travel between the two countries, the French government said in a statement.

From Saturday midnight there will be a "requirement to have an essential reason to travel to, or come from, the UK, both for the unvaccinated and vaccinated... People cannot travel for touristic or professional reasons,” news agency AFP quoted the government’s statement.

“Faced with the extremely rapid spread of the Omicron variant in the UK, the government has chosen to reinstate the need for an essential reason for travel from and to the UK,” it said.

Also read | UK reports more than 78,000 Covid cases, highest daily since pandemic began

The announcement was made a day after Britan recorded its highest ever daily Covid cases, detecting 78,610 COVID-19 infections in a single day.

The new measure also seeks COVID-19 tests within 24 hours before entering France, instead of the current 48 hours. They apply to all arrivals whether or not people are vaccinated.

Also read | Covid vaccines likely to be less effective against Omicron variant: WHO

"People (coming back) will have to register on an app and will have to self-isolate in a place of their choosing for seven days -- controlled by the security forces -- but this can be shortened to 48 hours if a negative test is carried out in France," government spokesman Gabriel Attal told BFMTV channel.

"We will put in place a system of controls drastically tighter than the one we have already," Attal added.

(With inputs from agencies)