E The European Commission has proposed that EU countries suspend flights from southern Africa, where a new and possibly dangerous variant of the COVID-19 virus has been discovered.
They discovered the potentially most dangerous strain of COVID-19
The President of the European Commission convenes a meeting with experts, added a spokesman for the commission. By the end of the day, the EC will present proposals for concrete measures to prevent the new version of the virus from entering Europe, the spokesman added.
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He recommended that countries be very careful and noted that countries have the opportunity to impose a ban on flights from a region if they consider that the threat to public health is growing.
The Commission’s proposals are subject to approval by the Council of the EU.
Earlier in the day, EC President Ursula von der Leyen proposed “in close coordination with member states, an emergency brake be applied to suspend air travel from the South African region”.
The @EU_Commission will propose, in close coordination with Member States, to activate the emergency brake to stop air travel from the southern African region due to the variant of concern B.1.1.529.
– Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) November 26, 2021
The European Union will propose a travel ban from South Africa after the discovery of a new version of COVID-19, which scientists fear could thwart efforts to overcome the pandemic, said EU leader Ursula von der Leyen.
Britain has already announced that it will suspend flights from the region as of today.
Shortly after her statement, Germany announced that it would ban most travel from South Africa to stop the spread of the new variant with a large number of mutations.
This was announced by Acting Minister of Health Jens Spahn.
The new rules, which take effect Friday night, will affect South Africa and “probably neighboring countries,” Span said, with only German citizens allowed to enter.
They must be quarantined 14 days after arrival, even if they have been vaccinated.
“The last thing we need now is for a new option to come in that will cause even more problems,” Span said.
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Austria
Austria has also suspended flights from South Africa.
The new regulation defines the Republic of South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia and Esvatini as the area with the new version. Entry into Austria by the listed countries is in principle prohibited.
“We are reacting quickly and consistently,” Federal Chancellor Alexander Schalenberg said in a press release.
Austrian citizens arriving from these countries will be admitted under very strict criteria – ten-day quarantine, AKP test and registration. The ordinance enters into force at midnight.
Italy
Italy has also said it is banning the entry of people who have been to South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia or Swaziland in the past two weeks due to fears of a new version of the coronavirus.
Health Minister Roberto Speranza said scientists were studying the new version B.1.1.529, “and in the meantime we will follow the path of maximum caution”.
European stock markets collapsed by more than 3% at the beginning of trading today due to concerns about the new version of COVID-19. London, Frankfurt and Paris sank after sharp losses in Asian stocks and oil prices.
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The first case of infection with the new strain was found in Israel in a citizen returning from Malawi.
First case of the new version of COVID-19 in Israel
“A strain of the coronavirus found in several countries in South Africa has been found in Israel in a citizen who has returned from Malawi. There are also suspicions of two more cases of infection in foreign nationals who are currently awaiting tests in isolation, “the statement said.
A new variant of the coronavirus has been discovered in the Republic of South Africa, which alarmed scientists because of the large number of mutations in it and its rapid spread among young people in Gauteng, the most populous province in the republic.
Experts from the World Health Organization traveled to South Africato carry out studies and to assess the situation following the newly discovered strain of coronavirus B.1.1.529.
The mutation was registered in 22 people. It is “the worst ever discovered” because it has the ability to bypass immunity, said an expert.
