Fri 26 November 2021:
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top US infectious disease official, told CNN that the US will decide whether to ban travel from South Africa due to the risk of a new COVID-19 variant as soon as enough data is gathered.
The US is in active communication with South African colleague scientists, he noted. When asked whether the new strain has already reached the US, Fauci replied that “anything is possible” but “there is no indication that it has right now.”
“There is always a possibility of doing what the UK has done, namely blocking travel from South Africa and related countries … We are prepared to do everything you need to do to protect the American public and but you wanna make sure there is a basis for doing that and that’s what we are doing right now,” Fauci said on Friday.
“Obviously as soon as we find out more information we’ll make a decision as quickly as we possibly can.”
Fauci said U.S. scientists would speak with South African counterparts on Friday about the new variant, called B.1.1.529, which has raised concern about its transmissibility and whether it might evade immune responses.
He added that there was no indication that the new variant was already in the United States.
The new COVID-19 variant, known as B.1.1.529, contains more mutations to the “spike protein” than previous variants, which means it could hamper the body’s immune response and spread more easily. It was discovered in South Africa at first. It was later discovered in two travelers at Hong Kong’s Regal Airport Hotel.
Sajid Javid, the UK Health Secretary, added southern African countries to the national “red” list on Friday, fearing that the B.1.1.529 variant had already spread across the border. It is said to have 50 mutations, more than 30 of which are on its spike protein, which is the target of most vaccines.
UK govt rushed decision to place SA on its red list
The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) has criticised the UK government’s decision.
Dirco on Friday said while South Africa respected the right of all countries to take the necessary precautionary measures to protect their citizens, the UK government’s decision seemed to be rushed as the World Health Organization (WHO) was yet to advise on the next steps.
Minister Naledi Pandor raised concerns about the impact of the latest travel ban on South Africa’s recovering tourism industry, almost two months after its removal from the UK red list.
“Our immediate concern is the damage that this decision will cause to both the tourism industries and businesses of both countries,” Pandor said.
After UK, Germany, Italy and France ban flights from South Africa
After the United Kingdom, Germany and Italy have also banned travel from South Africa to contain the spread of new Covid variant with a large number of mutations, reported news agency AFP on Friday.
France too has suspended all flights coming from southern Africa for 48 hours, said French Health Minister Olivier Veran on Friday. Spain to suspend flights to S.Africa, Botswana over new COVID-19 variant,
WHO meeting on Friday to designate new variant
The World Health Organization is convening an experts’ meeting from Geneva on Friday to assess the new variant, said WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier.
“WHO is convening a meeting … to better understand the timeline for studies that are under way and to determine if this variant should be designated as a variant of interest or variant of concern,” he said.
Nearly 100 sequences of the variant have been reported, and early analysis shows it has “a large number of mutations” requiring further study, Lindmeier said.
The WHO had no comment so far on travel restrictions imposed by some authorities on southern African countries linked to the variant, he added.
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