Omicron spreads, borders are closed and Biden calls for no
Indice
The EU has decided to suspend flights from southern Africa. This is the conclusion reached by the EU-27, meeting urgently in the Integrated Political Crisis Response Facility (IPCR), following the spread of the new variant of the coronavirus, detected in southern Africa. The seven affected countries are: Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
Member States agreed to introduce rapidly restrictions on all travel into the EU from 7 countries in the Southern Africa region:Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe. Tests, quarantine & contact tracing for incoming passengers are important. https://t.co/CXGq4S428L- Eric Mamer (@MamerEric) November 26, 2021
The decision comes on the heels of the EU executive’s proposal. “The European Commission will propose, in close coordination with Member States, to activate the emergency brake to suspend flights from the Southern African region due to variant B.1.1.529,” President Ursula von der Leyen said early Friday.
IMPERIALISM (1886-1914) | When Europe Conquered
Despite the limited information available (due to early detection), numerous countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States and European Union nations, quickly announced drastic travel restrictions for southern African countries, measures that generated strong unease on the African continent.
Israel has so far confirmed one case of infection with Omicron – an Israeli woman who returned from Malawi last week – and has twelve other suspects awaiting verification, also travelers from Africa.
Tightening controls EuropeEuropean countries such as Belgium began Sunday to apply travel restrictions to 9 African countries (Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, South Africa, Malawi and Zambia), to try to prevent the spread of the variant.
The U.S. government, which had decided to wait for more information before deciding whether to suspend air traffic with South Africa and other African countries, later announced that as from Monday it will impose restrictions on travelers from South Africa and seven other countries in the South: Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi.
MOROCCO and JAPAN CLOSE BORDERS in the face of the
We travel more and more and for different reasons: tourism, work, business, humanitarian cooperation, and we sometimes travel to very distant places. In all these situations, we must take a number of precautions to protect our health.
In the same way that we organize details relating to transportation and stay, it should also be standard practice to take the necessary health measures to reduce the risks associated with travel, by consulting specialized health professionals at international vaccination centers and health centers.
If your destination is a tropical or subtropical country with endemic malaria, you should be aware that malaria is a serious disease transmitted by a mosquito (Anopheles) that injects the malaria parasite into the blood when it bites.
Although there are four species of the malaria parasite that can infect humans and produce the disease (Plasmodium falciparum, P. malariae, P. vivax and P. ovale), it is only P. falciparum that is potentially life-threatening. There is a real risk that anyone of any age can contract this disease.
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The cascade of country restrictions began Thursday night when the United Kingdom announced it would temporarily suspend flights from South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho and Eswatini.
Singapore has opted to ban entry to all non-residents from Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe, while returning nationals and permanent residents from any of these countries will be required to spend 10 days at home. Malaysia has also taken similar measures.
Meanwhile, Germany plans to declare South Africa a “virus variant area” as of Friday night, which will mean that airlines will only be able to enter from the country to repatriate German nationals.
The United States will restrict travel from South Africa and seven other countries as of Monday. Following advice from Dr. Anthony Fauci and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Biden administration will restrict travel from South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi.