Much of the world shut its borders to the United Kingdom after a significantly more transmissible mutated coronavirus variant was discovered so spreading swiftly across southern England.

With long lines of trucks snaking to the horizon in England and some supermarket shelves stripped Just days before Christmas, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson scrambled to get French President Emmanuel Macron toe lift the ban on goods transported from Britain.

Truckers were told not to travel to the Kent region, home to England's most heavily used rail and ferry lines.

The European Commission advised that non essential travel to and from Britain should be discouraged, but said that people heading home should be allowed to do so provided they undergo a cove in 19 test or quarantine for 10 days.

Late on Tuesday, a deal was reached with Paris to allow French and other EU residents to return home, providing they have a negative co vid test that is less than 72 hours old.