COVID-19: India and Norway lift bans imposed over coronavirus variant concerns on UK flights

In lifting its ban on UK flights that was brought in to avoid the spread of a new variant of coronavirus, India joined Norway. 

From 8 January onwards, flights between India and Britain will resume.

Until 23 January they will be limited to 15 flights per week each for carriers of the two countries to and from the cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad.

In Norway, the country's health ministry said planes would be able to land from 2 January at 4pm GMT.

The ban was introduced on 21 December and followed the lead of dozens of other countries that have taken similar steps in restricting or banning travel from the UK.

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For those coming from abroad from 2 January, Norway is implementing obligatory COVID checks - to be conducted directly upon arrival or up to 24 hours later. 

On Thursday, Prime Minister Erna Solberg said, "If this strain should spread in Norway, it will probably mean a full lockdown of society,"