UK SUSPENDS FLIGHTS INTO SIX AFRICAN COUNTRIES AMID NEW COVID-19 VARIANT

Fri 26 November 2021:

As a new Covid variant with more than 30 mutations spreads in South Africa, the United Kingdom is temporarily halting flights from six countries.

The announcement was made by Sajid Javid, the UK’s minister of state for health and social care, just hours after the World Health Organization briefed on the new variant. On Friday, the organization scheduled a special conference to continue research into the variation, which has been found in small numbers in South Africa.

“More data is needed but we’re taking precautions now. From noon tomorrow six African countries will be added to the red list, flights will be temporarily banned, and UK travellers must quarantine,” Javid wrote on Twitter.

COVID-19 UPDATE:@UKHSA is investigating a new variant. More data is needed but we’re taking precautions now.

From noon tomorrow six African countries will be added to the red list, flights will be temporarily banned, and UK travellers must quarantine.

— Sajid Javid (@sajidjavid) November 25, 2021

According to a statement released by the UK’s health, transport, and health security authorities, the new restrictions apply to Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe, and Botswana, in addition to South Africa.

More than 30 mutations have been discovered in the new strain by South African scientists, raising concerns that it may be able to better bypass the antibody protection provided by vaccines and prior infections.

During the briefing, South Africa’s Minister of Health, Joe Phaahla, revealed the variant had been found in Botswana and Hong Kong.

“We don’t know very much about this yet. What we do know is that this variant has a large number of mutations. And the concern is that when you have so many mutations, it can have an impact on how the virus behaves,” Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO’s technical lead on Covid-19, said in a Q&A that was livestreamed on the organization’s social media channels.

Officials from the World Health Organization (WHO) said Thursday that a special conference will be held on Friday to explore the new variant’s implications for vaccines and treatments.

According to the WHO, the variant, known as B.1.1.529, has been found in small numbers in South Africa. The virus has quickly spread throughout the Gauteng region, which includes Johannesburg, the country’s largest metropolis.

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