France eases U.K. ban over new coronavirus strain

United Kingdom passengers disembarked in the French port of Calais on Wednesday after France and Britain reached a new travel deal. Several countries imposed travel restrictions on the island nation after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson over the weekend said a new COVID-19 variant might be 70 percent more contagious. France will now allow access to delivery drivers and European Union travelers, provided they show a negative virus test taken in the preceding 72 hours.

Are other nations reporting spikes in cases? Chilean authorities reported the first coronavirus cases in Antarctica this week after 58 people working on a military base and a navy ship tested positive. Thailand is battling a new outbreak that started among migrant workers in central Samut Sakhon province. Authorities have traced the outbreak to about 12 other provinces.

Dig deeper: Read Emily Belz’s report on the technology behind two leading U.S. vaccines.