Brits banned from Germany from today as Omicron cases soar
BRITS are banned from travelling to Germany amid a surge in Omicron cases.
Germany is the latest country to ban people from the UK over fears of the variant spreading.
The rule came in at 11pm UK time - midnight German time - last night.
Any travellers from the UK apart from German nationals, residents and transit passengers are banned.
Everyone entering Germany from Britain, whether vaccinated or not, needs a negative PCR test and is required to be quarantined for 14 days.
The country's public health authority, the Robert-Koch-Institut, said the restrictions could last until January 3.
Other countries in Germany’s highest risk category include South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe.
Yesterday, the UK recorded more than 82,000 coronavirus cases.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been telling Brits to get their booster jabs as soon as they can, after long snaking queues were seen at vaccine centres across the country.
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The Sun is also urging readers to sign up to the Jabs Army campaign to make the rollout as smooth and fast as possible.
A booster shot is the best protection against Omicron, with early data suggesting it pushes efficacy back up to 75 per cent.
Dr Jenny Harries, UKHSA Chief Executive said: “Once again, we urge everyone who is able to get a booster jab to come forward and do so. It is the best defence we have against this highly transmissible new variant."
A major incident was declared in London on Saturday where mayor Sadiq Khan said he was “incredibly concerned” by infection levels.
He said public services will work together so the jabs programme can continue — with fire crews allowed to drive ambulances under the plan.
It means a whopping 11,361,387 cases have been reported overall in the UK since the pandemic began.
Latest statistics also show another 45 deaths have occurred as a result of the killer bug.
It comes after France announced similar measures, banning non essential travel to and from the UK.
There is a "requirement to have an essential reason to travel to, or come from, the UK, both for the unvaccinated and vaccinated".
French citizens and EU nationals can still return to France from the UK, and passengers will be able to transit through France for less than 24 hours.
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Paris has cancelled their traditional New Year's fireworks, and the concerts and DJ appearances planned on the Champs-Elysées will no longer take place.
The Netherlands also announced that they will be going into a tough lockdown until mid-January.
