Delta variant could cause even jabbed Brits to be banned from the EU

Updated on June 28, 2021 at 1:02 PM

European leaders are coming together to propose a blanket ban on all British travellers from entering the EU in a bid to stop the spread of the delta variant.

Delta variant could cause jabbed Brits to be banned from the EU

Germany's Chancellor, Angela Merkel, will be proposing a plan to ban all UK travellers, whether vaccinated or not, from entering the EU in light of increasing COVID numbers caused by the Delta variant.

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All Brits out of the EU

Merkel's aim is to designate Britain as a 'country of concern' as daily infection rates in the UK continue to soar. French president, Emmanuel Macron, has backed up the proposal which he believes is the only way to make sure the rest of the EU does not fall victim to another potentially devastating wave as currently seen in the UK. During a press conference, Macron explained:

We must remain vigilant on this point, on the necessary co-ordination. This co-ordination also requires that our rules harmonise on the matter of opening to [non-EU] countries. It's the key for the European green pass.

And added:

We [are] in concert and perfectly aligned with Angela Merkel. Vigilance with the emergence of this new variant, and of an absolutely indispensable European co-ordination.

The news comes as Portugal, which was recently taken off the UK's green list, has imposed a mandatory quarantine on unvaccinated Brits travelling to the mainland in fear of the super contagious Delta strain.

If the scheme is approved by the rest of the EU, this would contradict Boris Johnson's plan to allow double-jabbed Britons to go to amber-listed countries without the need to quarantine upon returning home. Merkel's proposal would take effect in early August, after the Prime Minister recently announced plans to resume international travel on July 19.

Each countries economy to come first?

But not everyone is convinced that the plan will be going forward. Henry Smith, Conservative chairman of the Future Aviation Group, believes this to be purely a 'political effort' rather than a necessity based on COVID-19 data. Speaking to The Telegraph, he said:

I think the EU probably sees trying to shut Britain out of international travel as being a competitive advantage to themselves, but I think that's quite short sighted.

And added:

Good luck getting the Spanish, Greeks and Portuguese to agree to that, because I think they will rightly look at the imperatives for their economy.