Europe imposes travel ban from southern Africa

Europe faces concerns over the new 32-spike Covid-19 variant and imposes a travel ban from southern Africa. The European Comission has recommended suspending flights to all flights not only from southern Africa but also “other countries affected”

“All air travel to these countries should be suspended. They should be suspended until we have a clear understanding about the danger posed by this new variant and travellers returning from this region should respect strict quarantine rules,” said Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

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

Countries that have already made restrictions

Germany, Italy, and France implemented a travel ban from southern Africa. According to the Italian health minister, Robertoe Speranza, “Rome has banned entry on its territory to anyone who has stayed in southern Africa during the last 10 days, invoking maximum precaution”

German Minister Jens Spahn said on Friday, November 26, that “airlines coming from South Africa will only be able to transport German citizens. Travellers will need to go into quarantine for 14 days whether they are vaccinated or not. The last thing we need is to bring in a new variant that will cause even more problems,” he said

The French government also announced on the same day as Germany that it was suspending arrivals from southern Africa.

Similar measures are planned for The Netherlands

London said it was “banning flights from South Africa and five other southern African countries effective at noon on Friday, and that anyone who had recently arrived from those countries would be asked to take a coronavirus test”.

At the time of writing this article, the new super variant currently identified as B.1.1.529, the new variant has also been found in Botswana, Hong Kong, and Israel in travellers from southern Africa.

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