A group of French firemen has been shipped off Dover with 10,000 Covid tests for lorry drivers under a recharged Franco-British mission to allow hauliers to cross the Channel by Christmas Day as it arose that less than 100 of a large number of holding up vehicles were left on Wednesday.
France’s envoy to the UK, Catherine Colonna, said the two nations were “neighbors, accomplices, partners and (yes) companions” and that 26 firemen had brought a large number of fast turnaround tests to the port on Christmas Eve.
An image posted on Twitter by Colonna – utilizing the hashtags #StrongerTogether and #thursdayvibes – demonstrated the orange-jacketed pompiers doing Covid tests on hauliers before first light on Thursday.
Neighbours, partners, allies and (yes) friends!! 26 ?? firemen work together with the ?? teams in #Dover since this morning. They brought 10.000 #COVID19 tests. #StrongerTogether #thursdayvibes https://t.co/n1StINADIh pic.twitter.com/bnDhmDuD5M
— Catherine Colonna (@AmbColonna) December 24, 2020
The move came as the UK’s vehicle secretary, Grant Shapps, guaranteed that ships would cruise on Christmas Day and Boxing Day to help unblock the logjam brought about by a 48-hour fringe conclusion forced by France trying to stop the new hyper-infective Covid variation from intersecting the Channel.
On Thursday, the Port of Dover stated: “Short-term, because of limitations on testing, the port got under 100 cargo vehicles. In any case, presently testing has completely prepared at the port we foresee that figure rising essentially for the duration of the day.”
The people group secretary, Robert Jenrick, had communicated trust that the line could be got going by Wednesday morning.
There were rising strains at the port on Wednesday as lorry drivers, a large number of whom had been stuck in Dover for over 48 hours with restricted assets, protested with UK authorities.
Upwards of 10,000 lorries were assessed to be sponsored up around ports on England’s south coast, including at a lorry park at Manston landing strip, where 170 armed force staff were brought in to assist with the NHS-drove exertion to test pilots that got going on Wednesday morning.
Yet, before dawn on Christmas Eve, with a groundbreaking Brexit economic alliance hours from being divulged, a new interpretation of Franco-British co-activity arose in Dover.
The French embassy in the UK tweeted: “26 French firemen have arrived early in #Dover this morning, bringing with them 10 000 #Covid19 tests. They are already working closely with the British on the ground, testing drivers on their way to France! #StrongerTogether #FrancoBritishFriendship”
It isn’t clear why the 10,000 French tests were required in Kent – the UK government said on Wednesday night it had four portable testing destinations in activity with a further five being set up – however, the assistance was invited by Shapps.
The pastors, who have been haggling the entire week with his French partner to unblock the ports, tweeted: “Just as guaranteeing ships will presently cruise on Christmas and Boxing Day, we’ve additionally got extraordinary collaboration by French firefighters working with NHS test and follow and our splendid military in a major exertion to clear the excess made by the French outskirt conclusion.”
The Department for Transport and the French government office in the UK were reached for input.
