Dozens of nations rushed to close their borders with Britain in recent days over concerns of a newly discovered coronavirus variant spreading there. Prime Minister Boris Johnson of Britain said over the weekend that it had been shown to be more contagious than other variants. France’s loosening of travel restrictions followed a call from the executive arm of the European Union for member states to lift blanket bans on air and train travel. “Flight and train bans should be discontinued given the need to ensure essential travel and avoid supply-chain disruptions,” the European Commission said in a statement. If an adapted vaccine were necessary, it could be ready within six weeks, Dr. Sahin told a news conference on Tuesday.

Source: International New York Times December 22, 2020 19:41 UTC