The UK may impose quarantine on any country with more than 20 cases per 100,000 people, Grant Shapps has said.
The Transport Secretary said once infection rates reach this level it can “trigger” the removal of travel corridors, meaning travellers will have to self-isolate when they arrive in the UK for 14 days.
About 400,000 Britons have until 4am on Saturday to return to the UK before restrictions are implemented, requiring them to self-isolate for two weeks.
The announcement, which echoes the way quarantine was imposed at six hours’ notice on travellers from Spain, will lead to a scramble for flights and trains out of France ahead of the deadline.
Clément Beaune, a French junior European affairs minister, suggested the quarantine would be met with a reciprocal policy in France.
Get the latest headlines: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/
Telegraph.co.uk and YouTube.com/TelegraphTV are websites of The Telegraph, the UK’s best-selling quality daily newspaper providing news and analysis on UK and world events, business, sport, lifestyle and culture.
