China joins growing list of countries banning UK flights

China has become the latest country to issue a ban on flights from the UK following the discovery of a more infectious variant of the Covid-19 virus in the country last week.

Foreign minister Wang Wenbin said in his daily briefing, "Considering the special features and possible impacts of the new virus variant, the Chinese side, after comprehensive assessment, is...suspending flights between China and Britain to ensure the health of Chinese and foreign travellers. We will follow the situation closely and adjust our measures according to the latest developments"

The number of countries with bans in place is now more than 60, despite some countries relaxing their restrictions.

The latest restrictions are as follows:

• Argentina: Flights from the UK have been suspended and the government says that only Argentine citizens and permanent residents may enter the country. Arrivals must show a negative PCR test result and enter a mandatory seven-day quarantine.
• Austria: The country's foreign ministry has announced a ban on all flights from the UK until midnight on 1 January 2021.
• Belgium: Until 31 December, only Belgian citizens and residents, as well as limited number of other groups whose travel is “strictly necessary and which cannot be postponed”, can enter the country. From 25 December, a negative PCR test taken at the earliest 48 hours prior to arrival in Belgium will be necessary for all non-residents, regardless of their nationality. 
• Bulgaria: The country has resumed flights to the UK. Arriving passengers from the UK must take an antigen test and are required to enter a ten-day quarantine. From 1 January, passengers will require a negative PCR test taken received no more than 72 hours before arrival.
• Canada: The country has banned all flights from the UK from 2359 EST on 6 January.
• Chile: Ban on flights to and from the UK and a ban on entry from non-residents who have been in the UK in the past 14 days with effect from 0000 local time on Tuesday 22 December for two weeks, the Chilean government has tweeted. Anyone who has been in the UK within the past 14 days must quarantine for 14 days. 
• China: The country has announced an indefinite ban on flights from the UK.
• Colombia: The Colombian president tweeted that flights between the country and the UK would be suspended with effect from Monday 21 December.
• Croatia: The country has extended the initial 48-hour ban on flights from the UK until 31 December.
• Czech Republic: The country has now restarted flights from the UK but only Czech and EU citizens and long-term residents of the country may fly on them and they must present a negative PCR or antigen test taken less than 72 hours before the flight.   
• Denmark: The Danish government has banned flights from the UK until 24 December. After that and until 3 January, only Danish citizens may enter and are strongly advised to self-isolate for ten days. 
• El Salvador: President Nayib Bukele has banned anyone who has been in the UK in the past 30 days from entering the country.
• Estonia: Banned flights from Monday until 31 December, the government announced.
• Finland: All passenger air traffic from the UK has been banned until 2359 on 4 January 2021, according to the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency.  
• France: The country has reopened its borders to French and European nationals, permanent French residents plus certain categories of essential traveller. Travellers must present a negative result from a PCR or antigen test taken less than 72 hours before arrival in France. The measures last until 6 January.
• Germany: The country has banned the transport of all travellers from the UK to Germany from 22 December to 6 January 2021 inclusive. German citizens who want to enter Germany at the border will not be refused. From 1 January, those with the right of residence in Germany, regardless of nationality, will be allowed to enter the country again. Travellers who do enter the country must present a negative result from a PCR or antigen test taken less than 72 hours before arrival.
• Greece: The country has increased the length of quarantine for arrivals from the UK from the three days required by other arrivals. From now until 25 December, UK arrivals must quarantine for seven days and arrivals thereafter for ten days. The measures are in place until midnight on 7 January 2021.
• Grenada: The government banned all flights from the UK with effect from 2200 local time on Sunday 20 December and banned anyone who has been in the UK in the previous 14 days from entering the country until further notice. 
• Hong Kong: Banned flights from the UK from 21 December. All travellers from the UK will have to serve a 21-day quarantine in a designated quarantine hotel, said the government.
• Hungary: The government said it had suspended all flights to the country from the UK. The ban lasts until at least 8 February 2021, says the UK FCDO.
• India: The country has banned flights from the UK from 2359 hours local time on Tuesday 22 December. Anyone arriving before that time must take a mandatory PCR test on arrival. Ban lasts until 2359 hours on 31 December. 
• Ireland: Banned all flights arriving into Ireland from Great Britain with effect from midnight on 20 December until 27 December. Entry is restricted to long-term Irish residents who have been in Britain for a short stay and need to return. Flights will resume on the 27th December.
• Israel: Travellers arriving from abroad will be required to complete a 14 day quarantine in a designated, state-sponsored coronavirus hotel. This may be shortened to 10 days upon completion of two negative coronavirus tests (one upon arrival and one after 9 days of quarantine). Foreign nationals who do not have Israeli citizenship will not be permitted to enter.
• Italy: Flights from the UK have been allowed to restart but entry is only allowed for Italian citizens and residents and those with an "absolute necessity" to enter the country. They must take a Covid test less than 72 hours before arrival and another on arrival and must quarantine for 14 days.
• Jamaica: The country has issued an ban on flights from the UK until 4 January. Flights arriving before midnight on 22 December were permitted to land although passengers were required to enter quarantine and undergo a PCR test - more than 300 were quarantined and 20 tested positive for Covid. Arrivals need to quarantine at home for 14 days.    
• Jordan: Direct and indirect flights from the UK banned until 3 January 2021, according to government spokeswoman Ali Al-Ayed.
• Kuwait: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has announced a ban on flights from the UK with effect from 0800 GMT on 21 December. 
• Latvia: The Latvian government has banned UK flights from 21 December to 1 January 2021.
• Lithuania: Banned UK flights from 0400 local time on 21 December until 31 December.
• Luxembourg: The government has lifted its suspension of flights from the UK but arrivals must have a negative PCR or antigen test result dating back less than 48 hours or a test result dating between 48 and 72 hours but must take a new PCR test at Luxembourg airport and quarantine until the test result is obtained.
• Morocco: Flights between Morocco and the UK have been suspended with immediate effect.
• The Netherlands: The Dutch government has lifted its ban on flights but requires arrivals to have a declaration documenting a recent, negative PCR test. There is a strong recommendation that arrivals quarantine themselves for a period of 10 days.
• Norway: The country banned UK flights with immediate effect from 21 December and has now extended this until Christmas Day with a possibility of extending it to the end of the year. Until 10 January, arrivals must take a PCR test within 24 hours of arrival in Norway, followed by a new test no sooner than seven days after arrival from the United Kingdom.
• Oman: The country has banned all international arrivals and departures for seven days with effect from 1300 hours local time on Tuesday 22 December as a result of the new strain of Covid.   
• Pakistan: The country has banned all inbound travellers from the UK except for Pakistani passport holders and those who have transited airside in the UK until midnight on 30 December. Pakistani passport holders will be allowed to return subject to negative PCR tests and seven days' quarantine on arrival.  
• Peru: The government has suspended all international flights with duration greater than eight hours as a result of the new variant. The restrictions remain in place until 5 January.
• Poland: The country announced a ban on flights from midnight on Sunday.
• Portugal: Passengers on flights from the UK who are not nationals or permanent residents will not be permitted entry, the government said.  
• Romania: The UK FCDO says the Romanian government will ban air passenger flights to and from the UK from 19:00 CET on 21 December for 14 days.
• Russia: News agency Tass says that flights from the UK will be banned from midnight on Tuesday 22 December for one week. 
• Saudi Arabia: Ban on international flights announced for one week, with the possibility of extension for a second week. Those arriving in Saudi from countries where the new strain has been seen must isolate for 14 days and get tested every five days.
• Singapore: Anyone who has been in the UK in the past 14 days will not be allowed to enter Singapore unless they are Singapore citizens or permanent residents, the government said. The restrictions come into force at 2359 local time on 23 December and will remain until further notice.
• Spain: The Spanish government tweeted that it would ban UK citizens from entering the country from Tuesday 22 December and would strengthen border control with Gibraltar. 
• Sudan: Sudan will ban travellers from Britain, the Netherlands and South Africa for three weeks from 23 December, Reuters has reported.
• Sweden: The country has stopped all flights from the UK until 31 December.
• Switzerland: The Swiss authorities have allowed flights to resume on 24 December to allow people to return to their home countries. Only Swiss citizens and residents may enter Switzerland. The country is also requiring anyone who has arrived from the UK since 14 December to enter quarantine for ten days.  
• Tunisia: The country's transport ministry said it was banning all flights to and from the UK, including transit flights, and would ban entry to UK residents until further notice.  
• Turkey: The country has banned all flights from the UK and South Africa with no timeline given for lifting the ban. Arrivals must take PCR tests on arrival and then quarantine for seven days from which they will be released on a second negative test.
• USA: Travellers to New York must get a negative PCR test less than 72 hours before departure. International visitors to the state are required to quarantine for 14 days at the address they provide on arrival and this eill be enforced by personal visits from sheriff's deputies.