People shop at a mall in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Friday, November 26, 2021.
Highlight
- France suspends all flights from South Africa for 48 hours
- The new version has been identified as B.1.1.1.529. 6 cases have been reported in South Africa
- Fourth spike of coronavirus is affecting the 27-nation European Union particularly badly
The EU executive said on Friday it wants to halt air travel from southern Africa to combat the spread of a new COVID-19 variant. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement that she proposes in close coordination with member states to activate the emergency brake to stop air travel from the southern African region.
A new coronavirus variant has been detected in South Africa, which scientists say is a concern because of its high number of mutations in the country’s most populous province of Gauteng and its rapid spread among young people.
A fourth spike of the coronavirus is hitting the 27-nation European Union particularly badly, with governments scrambling to tighten restrictions in an effort to contain the spread. The proposal for a flight ban has come in the wake of similar action from Britain on Thursday.
The UK announced it is banning flights from South Africa and five other southern African countries effective Friday afternoon, and anyone who has recently arrived from those countries will be asked to take a coronavirus test. UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid said there were concerns that the new variant may be more permeable than the dominant delta strain, and that the vaccines we currently have may be less effective against it.
The coronavirus evolves as it spreads and many new forms, including those with worrying mutations, often die. Scientists monitor potential changes that could be more transmissible or lethal, but finding out whether the new forms will have an impact on public health may take time. Currently identified as B.1.1.529, the new variant has also been found in South African travelers in Botswana and Hong Kong, he said.
The World Health Organization’s technical working group is due to meet on Friday to assess the new version and may decide whether to give it a name from the Greek alphabet. The World Health Organization says coronavirus infections rose 11% over the past week in Europe, the only region in the world where COVID-19 continues to rise. The WHO’s Europe director, Dr. Hans Kluge, warned that without immediate measures, there could be another 700,000 deaths in the continent by spring. The EU Emergency Brake Mechanism has been put in place to deal with such emergencies.
Where the epidemiological situation of a third country or region rapidly deteriorates, particularly if a manifestation of concern or interest is detected, Member States should adopt an immediate, temporary ban on all travel in the EU. This emergency brake should not apply to certain categories of EU citizens, long-term EU residents and essential travellers, who should nonetheless be subject to appropriate testing and quarantine measures, even if they have been fully vaccinated . Such restrictions should be reviewed at least every two weeks.
,