Coronavirus in the UK: Boris Johnson warns Covid-19 spike in Europe will ‘wash up on our shores’

Boris Johnson has warned Britons the effects of a third wave of Covid-19 is likely to “wash up on our shores” from Europe.
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As countries such as France and Italy see a spike in coronavirus cases, the Prime Minister said on Monday the UK should be “under no illusion” we will “feel effects” of rising infection rates on the continent.

But Mr Johnson said he did not think the European Union wanted to block vaccine exports from reaching the UK, following suggestions Brussels could stop supplies from crossing the Channel amid struggles with its own rollout.

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Speaking to broadcasters at BAE Systems in Lancashire on Monday, Mr Johnson said: “I’ve talked to our (European) friends repeatedly over the period – we’re all facing the same pandemic, we all have the same problems.

“If there is one thing that is worth stressing it’s that on the continent right now you can see sadly there is a third wave under way.

People in this country should be under no illusions that previous experience has taught us that when a wave hits our friends, it washes up on our shores as well.

“I expect that we will feel those effects in due course.

“That’s why we’re getting on with our vaccination programme as fast as we can but a vaccination campaign and developing vaccines, rolling them out – these are international projects and they require international co-operation.”

Prime Minister Boris Johnson.Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
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His comments come after several regions in France, including Paris, spent their first weekend under a limited month-long lockdown.

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