JOHANNESBURG: Terry and Roger Hugo, both retired in their 70s, can’t wait to see their grandchildren as the UK tours South Africa for the first time after last year’s Christmas plans were canceled Was gone because COVID-19.
Now they’re embarrassed to put everything off again after a new coronavirus The variant found in South Africa prompted Britain to impose a travel ban on its former colony.
“We are completely disappointed. I can’t tell you how upset we are with this whole situation,” said 74-year-old Terri, tearfully on the leafy porch of her Johannesburg home. With grandchildren Stella, 6, and Clara, 8.
“We were planning to take them to Sun City, the kids wanted to go to Pilanesburg (National Park) to see the wild animals. It’s all stopped,” said Terry, a South African, her 79-year-old British husband. Sitting with Roger. Owner of a video store.
“We’re just hoping and praying they can come next Christmas,” she said.
Hasty decision?
South African officials have questioned Britain’s decision to ban flights from six southern African countries over the new COVID-19 version, complaining that it seems hasty. There is no data yet to confirm whether the variant is more contagious or better able to evade immunity from vaccines or previous infections.
Scientists have so far only detected the B.1.1.1.529 variant in relatively small numbers, mainly in South Africa, but also in Botswana, Hong Kong and Israel, but they are concerned about its high number of mutations.
Britain, which it considers to be the most important edition ever, has banned flights from South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
British-South African couple Vakule Shabangu, 37, and Claire Badam, 42, are in a similar bond. Their son, Siamthanda, almost 3, was excited by the prospect of Claire’s parents, Tim and Carol, coming from Britain.
“I am devastated,” said Almond. “My mom literally couldn’t talk this morning, she was crying a lot.”
Combined with the sadness is a feeling that South Africa is being unfairly selected, just to do a better job of identifying variants than many other countries.
“The disappointing thing is that it seems like they are playing political football with our lives,” Tshbangu said. “It feels like one rule to us, and another to another.”
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