The UK was officially added on Thursday to a list of 26 countries deemed as posing a "very high-risk" from dangerous Covid strains. Britain and Georgia are currently the only European nations on the list, which includes countries from Africa, Asia and South America. Only EU citizens or residents of Belgium will be allowed entry into the country.

       They will have to comply with strict quarantine rules as well as take Covid tests before being able to move within Europe.

       The only exceptions for British or other non-EU travellers coming from a banned country will be diplomats on essential work and transport personnel, the government said.

       The decision to add the UK to the banned list was taken at a meeting of the government's Covid committee on Friday.

       The Belgians are concerned about the the continuing spread of the Delta variant, which has driven a surge in new infections in the UK.

       According to the most recent official data, the Delta mutation accounts for around six percent of new Covid cases in Belgium.

       However, some researchers believe that the actual rate is much higher.

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       Jan Eyckmans, the spokesman for Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke, said the government did not want to undermine the country's vaccination rollout, which has become the fastest in the EU.

       He also indicated that the Belgian Cabinet would review the ban over the coming weeks.

       Mr Eyckmans told AFP: "Britain is five weeks ahead of us in their vaccination drive and they had to postpone their plans to lift restrictions.

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       “But this is a temporary situation that will be re-evaluated regularly."

       It comes as the the British Government added the Balearic Islands, Madeira, Malta and Barbados to its green travel list.

       The UK is also planning to allow fully vaccinated people to arrive from amber list countries without having to quarantine in the near future.