Authorities in the United Kingdom have banned their citizens from going on holiday in other countries until at least July, including European Union countries, amid the raised fears of a third wave of the Coronavirus pandemic.

The decision, which will take effect on March 29, has been confirmed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who stressed that all persons who violate the recently imposed rules risk being fined £5,000 (€5,900), StudyinPoland.Info reports.

In this regard, the Health Minister, Lord Bethell, stressed that under the current circumstances, “the possibility lies that we will have to re-list all of our European neighbors,” considering the possibility to ban all travel to and from European Union countries.

However, the UK’s government clarified that from the decision which will be put in place next, specific categories will be exempted.

Caregivers, students, and other persons who have any essential reason to travel abroad will be permitted to do so under the Coronavirus regulations.

Persons who plan to leave the country for childcare purposes, visit a close friend or dying relative, attend a funeral, get married or other similar purposes will also be permitted to travel abroad without being subject to the ban.

The UK’s Secretary of State for Health, Matt Hancock, said that it was unsure whether persons would be permitted to travel abroad after July.

“We don’t know… we’ve got to protect this country and the progress that we’ve made, but at the same time, I understand that lots of people want to travel abroad this summer,” he said.

However, the UK ministers previously urged all their citizens not to book holidays abroad or make plans to travel for non-essential purposes.

Britain’s recently imposed ban affects almost all countries worldwide, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. However, some places, like the Channel Islands, the Republic of Ireland, and the Isle of Man, will not be included.

According to the announcement, no one may “leave England to travel to a destination outside the United Kingdom, or travel to or be present at, an embarkation point for the purpose of traveling from there to a destination outside the United Kingdom” without having any reasonable excuse.

In addition to that, citizens could be subject to a £200 fixed penalty if they do not fill in a travel declaration form, through which they would have to provide personal details and a reason for travel for all persons planning to leave Britain.

The United Kingdom is the sixth most affected country in the world by the virus, with 4,307,304 cases of COVID-19 infections and 126,284 deaths.