For a new variant of Covid-19, European Union countries impose restrictive measures

Italy and the Czech Republic announced, this Friday (26), restrictive measures for the entry of people from southern African countries due to the discovery of a new variant of Covid-19.

Italian Health Minister Roberto Speranza signed an executive order banning entry from South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia and Eswatini, a statement said.

The same countries were also given a red light to enter the Czech Republic, but the country added Zambia to the list.

“Our scientists are studying the new B.1.1.529 variant. In the meantime, we will adopt the greatest possible caution,” said the Italian minister.

The measure should take greater proportions in the coming weeks. That’s because the European Union commission also intends to propose the interruption of travel in the southern African region amid growing concern about the variant detected in South Africa, said the head of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, on Friday .

“The Commission will propose, in close coordination with Member States, to activate the emergency brake to stop air travel in the southern African region due to the B.1.1.529 concern variant,” he wrote in a tweet.

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 Executive Commission will recommend that all 27 member states implement the measure and hopes that the European Council will give the green light as soon as possible, added an EU official.

Decisions by the European Council, which represents the Member States, do not have to be taken by ministers, but can also be signed by the country’s ambassadors in Brussels.

Outside the bloc but in the European region, the UK also temporarily banned flights from South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Lesotho and Eswatini on Friday, and asked British travelers to return from those destinations to quarantine.

The UK Health Safety Agency said no cases of the variant had been detected in Britain.

Or what is known about a variant

Scientists are still evaluating the new strain of the virus, first identified this week. Its discovery on Friday hit Asian financial markets, where stocks suffered the biggest drop in three months and oil tumbled more than 3%.

The variant has a “very unusual constellation” of mutations, which are of concern because they can help it escape the body’s immune response and make it more transmissible, South African scientists say.

Cases of the strain have been identified in South Africa, Botswana and Hong Kong.

*With information from Reuters