Yorkshire live Covid latest as travel from South Africa banned from 9am

The UK has banned travel from South Africa after a ‘concerning’ new strain of coronavirus, believed to have originated in that country, was discovered in England. Last night, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced on Twitter: “I’ve taken the decision to temporarily stop flights and arrivals entering England from SOUTH AFRICA from 9am tomorrow following an outbreak of a new strain of coronavirus.” The decision came hours after Health Secretary Matt Hancock revealed more parts of the country would be under Tier 4 restrictions from Boxing Day.

Sussex, Oxfordshire, Suffolk and Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, those parts of Essex not yet in Tier 4, Waverley in Surrey and Hampshire including Portsmouth and Southampton will be moved into Tier 4 from Boxing Day. Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset including the North Somerset council area, Swindon, the Isle of Wight, the New Forest and Northamptonshire, Cheshire and Warrington will be placed under Tier 3 restrictions. Cornwall and Herefordshire will be placed under Tier 2. 

Mr Hancock also told the public of yet another ‘highly concerning’ Covid strain from South Africa.

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