Three GCC nations close borders over new COVID strain

Our Correspondent

Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Oman have decided to suspend commercial flights and ban entry and exit by land and sea. The Gulf countries said they were halting passenger flights and closing their borders for a week or longer, after a new strain of the coronavirus began spreading quickly in England. They are suspending commercial travel and banning entry and exit via land and sea borders, except for cargo.

The developments come after several European countries banned travel from Britain on December 20 after the UK government warned that a highly infectious new strain of the virus was “out of control”.

The official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported, quoting the Interior Ministry: “Entry to the kingdom through land and sea ports will also be suspended for a week, which can be extended by another week.”

But international aircraft will be allowed to leave the country, SPA said. Cargo into Saudi Arabia will be permitted only from countries where there is no report of the new strain having broken out.

UAE airlines Etihad and Emirates have suspended flights to and from Saudi Arabia after the kingdom imposed travel restrictions.
“Due to the closure of borders as directed by the Saudi authorities, Emirates will be suspending flights to and from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia until 27th December,” a spokesperson for Emirates said.

In Oman, the official Oman News Agency reported that the Sultanate was closing “land, air and sea border starting 1am local time on Tuesday” for a week. Cargo flights or cargo vessels will not be affected however. The decision was based on what “authorities in a number of countries announced regarding the emergence of a new Covid-19 strain”, ONA reported.

Kuwait had initially placed a ban on passenger flights from Britain on December 20 and will now suspend all commercial flights until at least January 1.

Jordan said it was banning all direct and indirect flights from the United Kingdom until January 3, according to a government statement.

Israel has also decided “to close the country’s skies”, and entry of most foreigners except diplomats would be stopped.

This development comes after many Middle East and Western countries had rolled out COVID-19 vaccination programmes.