LONDON (Reuters) – Quarantine measures Britain plans to introduce for almost all international travellers from June 8 are vital to ensure the country’s rate of COVID-19 infection does not increase again, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Wednesday.

Asked by a lawmaker in parliament why Britain was introducing the steps now, just as many other countries are lifting quarantine rules, Johnson said: “As we get the rate of infection down, with the efforts that we are making as a country, it is vital that we avoid reinfection.”

Johnson also said the government was looking at all the ways it could support the aviation sector, which has been particularly hard hit by the coronavirus outbreak.