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Dec 21, 2020 4:39 PM -

Canada restricts travel from U.K. due to new strain of virus that causes COVID-19

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A woman wears a face mask as she steps out of Bank underground station, in London, Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)

The Trudeau government is restricting travel from the U.K. in an effort to prevent a new strain of the virus that causes COVID-19 from making it to Canada.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the move comes into effect at 12:01 a.m. and will last for 72 hours.

The move doesn't apply to cargo flights or stops where passengers do not disembark, according to a Notice to Airmen.

It comes after a closed-door meeting with members of the Incident Response Team.

The ministers of health, transport, foreign affairs, intergovernmental affairs and public safety were all in attendance.

Several European countries announced earlier that they would close their borders to the U.K. as British officials struggle to contain the new strain, which has been blamed on a genetic mutation and led to a surge in COVID-19 cases.

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