Europe confirms first case of the Covid-19 variant
Indice
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Government notified Friday that starting next Monday it will place restrictions on travelers from South Africa and seven other countries in southern Africa in the face of the emergence of a new variant of the coronavirus dubbed “omicron”.
“As a precautionary measure until we have more information, I am ordering additional air travel restrictions from South Africa and seven other countries,” President Joe Biden said in a statement sent by the White House.
The new restrictions will go into effect Nov. 29 and as information and knowledge of the omicron variant advances, Biden said, further decisions could be made based on what science and the medical team of advisors advise him.
President Biden made the decision after hearing suggestions from his chief medical advisor, Anthony Fauci, and officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
U.S. re-establishes travel restrictions due to the
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.
The Government imposes quarantine on travelers coming from
Foreign nationals who are banned from entering the United States because they have been to one of eight African countries (South Africa, Botswana, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Swaziland, Mozambique and Malawi) in the previous 14 days will again be allowed to travel on flights to U.S. territory departing after 12:01 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time (05:00 GMT on December 31).
South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Swaziland, Mozambique, and MalawiOn November 29, the United States banned access to nearly all non-U.S. citizens who had recently been to these countries out of “over-caution” for the variant detected in South Africa.
The restrictions have not prevented flights or Americans from returning from southern Africa. Dr. Anthony Fauci, an infectious disease expert, said Monday that the lifting of the restrictions was because “we have enough infections in our own country.” “We’re letting in people from other countries that have as much or more infection than southern African countries.”
U.S. bans travel from South Africa and other countries in the world
Foreign nationals who cannot enter the United States because they have been in one of the eight countries within the previous 14 days will again be allowed to travel on U.S.-bound flights departing after 12:01 a.m. ET on Dec. 31, a senior official said. confirming a Reuters report.
Top infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci said on Monday that the restrictions are likely to be lifted “because we have enough infection in our own country … We are allowing in people from other countries that have as much or more infection than southern Africa.”