Corona variant reaches Europe: Shortly before the Christmas travel season, countries close the borders

 Corona variant: Shortly before the Christmas travel season, countries close the borders

Corona variant reaches Europe Shortly before the Christmas travel season, countries close the borders

Update from November 28, 8:28 p.m.: South Africa is currently in the focus of the whole world. The new Corona virus variant Omikron was discovered here on Thursday (November 25th). Now President Cyril Ramaphosa is reacting to the increasing number of infections. In a speech on television he promised mandatory vaccinations for certain areas, which areas would still be determined. The previously applicable low alert level will, however, remain in place.

41 percent of the 60 million South Africans have been vaccinated so far. Ramaphosa calls for greater efforts here. At the same time, e criticized the travel restrictions of numerous states against the countries of southern Africa as unjustified. "These restrictions are unfair discrimination against our country and our sister states," said Ramaphosa.

Corona: Spain decides to take a tough step because of Omikron

Update from November 28, 7:31 p.m.: Spain also reacts to the Omikron virus variant. As of Wednesday, only fully vaccinated people will be allowed to enter the country from Great Britain. This emerges from a publication by the Ministry of the Interior. So far, those who have recovered and who have been tested have also been able to enter. “The appearance of new variants of the causative agent of the disease

forces in these times to tighten travel restrictions ”, it says in the paper. Hard news for the tourism industry: About 20 percent of tourists in Spain come from Great Britain, since the vaccination rate there is around 70 percent, part of the business will collapse.

Not again! The message has just been digested that Austria needs another lockdown; At least a few people are still being convinced of the first stitch; Hopes for the booster vaccination are currently growing - this is where the next bad news comes. Researchers in southern Africa have identified a new variant of the Sars-CoV-2 coronavirus. And what they have found out in the few days since the discovery worries them very much.

B.1.1.529 has an unusually high number of mutations, unfortunately also in places that are important for recognition by the immune system. The effect of the current vaccinations could be dampened by this - at least. And not only that: Since the variant was discovered, the number of infections has been increasing in South Africa, precisely in those places where B.1.1.529 is rampant. They are doing this more erratically than seldom before in the pandemic. It is difficult to believe in a coincidence.

Then quickly!!

So what to do Britain and Israel reacted quickly. On Friday night they stopped flights from six or seven countries in southern Africa. Anyone who was last there must undergo a strict quarantine upon entry. It is a procedure that most researchers also call for. Anyone who rummages through relevant forums and Twitter feeds will find many requests for rigid border measures - and not at some point, but immediately.

The Christmas tree is still naked and kitsch-free on the square in front of the Bethlehem Church of the Nativity. Soon the balls, the garlands, the candles, the light will come. And the tourists: hopefully inside too, said the Mayor of Bethlehem, Anton Salman, at the start of the first Christmas tourism season since 2019. That was Saturday noon. A few hours later, the Corona cabinet met in Tel Aviv. And then came the news: Israel is closing the borders. Those who do not have Israeli citizenship are no longer allowed to enter the country - apart from individual cases that are approved by the “Exception Committee”. Pilgrims and all other tourists are no longer allowed into the country.

All Israelis who return must be in quarantine for at least three days. If they are not vaccinated, it is fourteen days of isolation. If you come from one of the 56 countries that are on the red list, all returnees, whether vaccinated or unvaccinated, must spend the isolation in the Corona Hotel. These rules should apply for two weeks. It should take that long to determine whether the vaccination protects against the Omikron variant.

These requirements will not be able to prevent the new variant from spreading in Israel. Omicron is already there; 13 infected people are currently suspected of being infected with the new variant. Results are not yet available.

The logic behind this is simple: It is not certain whether the variant really represents a danger. But borders can be reopened in the event of the all-clear. However, the virus variant is there as soon as it is there. Closing borders then, afterwards, does not help anymore.