After the detection of the Omicron variant of the Corona virus, which is estimated to be more contagious, countries impose travel restrictions to South African countries one after another. While two new cases of Omicron were found in the UK, it is suspected that 61 passengers who came from South Africa by air from South Africa and whose Covid tests were positive were infected with Omicron.
British Health Minister Sajit Cavit announced that two cases carrying the new Omicron variant of the Corona virus were detected in the UK. In his statement broadcast on television, Cavit said, “Last night last night, the Health Safety Department contacted me. In the UK, I was informed that they had detected two cases of the new variant Omicron. “One of the cases is in Chelmsford and the other is in Nottingham,” he said.
Many countries and regional platforms such as Australia, Brazil, Canada, Japan, Thailand, the USA, the UK, and the European Union have imposed restrictions on travel from South African countries, despite the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommendation not to take “hasty measures”. This new development caused a sharp fall in global markets, especially in the shares of the airlines and travel sector, and a decline in oil prices.
In Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, authorities reported that around 600 of 61 of the two flights from South Africa tested positive for the Corona virus, and additional tests were carried out to determine whether these people were carrying the Omicron variant.
First detected in South Africa, then first in Belgium, Botswana, Israel and Hong Kong, Omicron was described as “worrying” by the World Health Organization. There is concern that this variant, which is the fifth variant that the WHO describes as worrying, may be more contagious than previous variants.
A minister for the German state of Hesse also said on Saturday that the variant most likely arrived in Germany with a passenger arriving from South Africa.
Czech Republic health officials also announced that tests were carried out on suspicion of having an Omicron variant in a person who spent time in Namibia.
Travel restrictions
Many countries have announced travel restrictions to South African countries, despite experts’ views that it may be too late to introduce travel restrictions to stop Omicron from spreading around the world.
On Saturday, Australia banned non-citizens from 9 African countries from entering the country, and imposed a 14-day supervised quarantine requirement for its citizens and their dependents.
Following the decision on travel restrictions for South Africa, Botswana, Esvatini, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Lesotho on Friday, Japan decided to increase border controls for 3 more African countries today.
Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Oman have also placed travel restrictions on South African countries.
Omicron emerged at a time when many European countries were experiencing a rebound in Covid-19 cases and restrictions on social activities again. Austria and Slovakia reintroduced quarantine measures.
vaccinations
In England, the main opposition party, the Labor Party, called for the acceleration of the additional dose vaccination program, and the time between the second dose and the additional dose to be reduced from 6 months to 5 months.
Expressing that the new variant should act as an alarm in this regard, the party’s health spokesperson Alex Norris said, “The pandemic is not over. “We must urgently strengthen our defense measures to contain the virus,” he said.
However, according to health and human rights groups, less than 7 percent of the population in low-income countries still receive their first dose, even though many developed countries have started third-dose vaccinations.
International Monetary Fund (IMF) Director Kristalina Georgieva said on Twitter on Friday that 4 percent of the population in sub-Saharan Africa still has been vaccinated, putting everyone in the world at greater risk for the new variant. “It shows why we urgently need to do more to vaccinate the world.”