These images had been around the world.
Thousands of truck drivers had been stranded for four days in summary conditions near the British port of Dover, after the emergency closure on Sunday of the border between the United Kingdom and France.
The identification of a potentially more contagious variant of the virus across the Channel, had indeed pushed the two countries to conclude an agreement allowing truckers stranded near the English coast to return home, provided they have a negative Covid test .
The drivers had since been parked at an airfield in Manston (England), waiting to be able to submit to a test, the others lining up in long queues on the roads of Kent.
VIDEO. The hundreds of truckers stranded in Dover after the discovery of a new strain of Covid-19
While waiting for the green light from the authorities, some drivers had even been forced to spend Christmas in their truck.
On Saturday, UK Transport Minister Grant Shapps tweeted a photo of the emptied Manston airfield.
15,526 truck drivers were tested, thanks to the army.
36 were found to be positive, or 0.23%.
Update on Kent lorry situation: 15,526 #Coronavirus tests now carried out.
Just 36 positive results, which are being verified (0.23%).
Manston now empty and lorries should no longer head there please.
pic.twitter.com/RPBC5Rsd2C
- Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP (@grantshapps) December 26, 2020
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Restricted movements at least until January 6
But if travel has resumed gradually, they will remain restricted from the United Kingdom to France "until January 6 minimum", detailed Thursday the Ministry of the Interior.
Only French nationals, British nationals residing in France, people who want to transit through France to return to their residence in an EU member state and those who travel for professional reasons, can cross the border between the United Kingdom and France.
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These people must be "provided with a travel certificate" and a negative PCR test "carried out less than 72 hours before boarding," said the Ministry of the Interior.
They will also have to sign a sworn statement certifying that they are not in contact with a person contaminated by Covid-19.