The UK government on Tuesday launched an advisory for British nationals to avoid all non-essential international travel for an initial 30-day period as part of toughening measures to tackle the coronavirus outbreak in the country, which has reported 55 deaths from COVID-19.
UK foreign secretary Dominic Raab told the House of Commons that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has taken the decision as a number of countries, including India, has put travel and visa restrictions in place.
"UK travellers abroad now face widespread international border restrictions and lock downs in various countries," Raab said.
"The speed and range of those measures across other countries is unprecedented. So I have taken the decision to advise British nationals against all non-essential international travel," he said.
As part of its updated travel advisory for India, the FCO notes that a ban on travellers from the UK and Europe will come into force from Wednesday.
The FCO advisory notes: "The government of India has announced that passengers from the UK (and the EU and Turkey) will be prohibited from entering India. Airlines will not permit passengers from those countries to board planes from 1200 GMT on March 18, 2020.
"The restrictions are due to be in place until at least March 31, 2020. This does not affect British nationals already in India who should follow the advice of local authorities."
The FCO said its advice to avoid all travel as far as possible reflects the pace at which other countries are either closing their borders or implementing restrictive measures in response to the global coronavirus pandemic.
Often there is little or no notice when countries take these steps and restrictions are also being imposed in areas where no cases of coronavirus have yet been reported. They are, therefore, very difficult to predict, it notes.
Raab told the Commons: "British people who decide that they still need to travel abroad should be fully aware of the increased risks of doing so. That includes the risk that they may not be able to get home, if travel restrictions are put in place.
"Anyone still considering travel to be realistic about the level of disruption they are willing and able to endure, and to make decisions in light of the unprecedented conditions we face."
The UK government has said it is not currently advising British people to immediately return to the UK if they are overseas, except for a few countries. However, British people should keep in mind that flights may be cancelled at short notice or other travel restrictions may be put in place by foreign governments, it warns.
If people do want to return to the UK soon, then they need to take account of the fast moving situation and plan accordingly, while flights remain available in many places.
"Whether travel is essential or not is a personal decision and circumstances differ from person to person. It is for individuals themselves to make an informed decision based on the risks and FCO advice. Anyone still planning to travel should check the validity of their travel insurance," the FCO said.
UK inward and outward travel has already fallen by a significant amount since the outbreak of coronavirus.
Ryanair, Virgin and EasyJet have cut flights by 80 per cent this month and IAG, the owner of British Airways, has decreased capacity by 75 per cent.
The FCO said its "extensive diplomatic network" is continuing to work around the world to support British people at the greatest risk of exposure to the virus.
In the last week, 430 changes have been made to FCO Travel Advice more than in the entirety of 2019.
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