The detection of the new Coronavirus variant Omicron has created a new challenge worldwide. Several countries have tightened travel restrictions and some have been banned. The Indian government on Sunday issued revised guidelines for international arrivals in India, which will take effect from December 1st. The revised guidelines require submitting 14-day travel data and uploading a negative RT-PCR test report on the Air Suvidha portal prior to travel.
The variant was identified days ago by researchers in South Africa, and not much is known about whether it is more contagious, more likely to cause serious illness, or whether it is more likely to be vaccine-protected.
But many countries rushed to act, reflecting fears of anything that could prolong the pandemic that has killed more than 5 million people.
INDIA REVISES GUIDELINES FOR INTERNATIONAL TRAVELERS
According to the guidelines of the Ministry of Health Travelers from “risk countries” have to take a Covid test upon arrival and wait for the results at the airport. If the test is negative, they follow in quarantine at home for seven days. Another test on the 8th day and, if negative, further self-monitoring for the next seven days.
Travelers from countries with the exception of the “risk countries” are allowed to leave the airport and should monitor their health themselves for 14 days. One subsection (5% of total air passengers) should be randomly tested upon arrival at the airport.
On Saturday the government classified a number of countries in the “endangered” category. These include South Africa, China, Botswana, Europe including the UK, Brazil, Israel, Bangladesh, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Singapore, Israel and Hong Kong. The center also directed state and union area governments to step up Covid-19 testing, expand health infrastructure, and increase genome sequencing.
WHAT DOES THE WHO SAY?
The World Health Organization said it is “Not yet clear” whether the newly detected Coronavirus variant Omicron is more transmissible or causes more severe illness compared to other variants, including the highly transmissible and globally widespread Delta variant. “There is currently no information to suggest that symptoms associated with Omicron are any different from other variants,” the WHO said.
It added that the first reported infections were among university studies – younger people who are prone to less severe illness – but understanding the severity of the Omicron variant will take days to several weeks.
In addition, preliminary evidence suggests that there may be an increased risk of Omicron re-infection compared to other worrying variants (i.e. people who have previously had Covid-19 could become infected with Omicron more easily), but the information is “limited “. said the WHO.
SOUTH AFRICA REMAINS AT THE LOWEST LOCKDOWN LEVEL
Despite the global panic surrounding the discovery of the Omicron variant in the country, South Africa will remain at the lowest “level one” of its five-step lockdown strategy to combat the Covid-19 pandemic, announced President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday. Ramaphosa also called on more than 20 countries that have banned travel to and from South Africa and its neighbors to end the ban immediately to avoid further damage to the economies of those countries already under attack from the pandemic.
In his comment on the travel ban, Ramaphosa called for the ban to be lifted immediately. “(The ban) is a clear and wholly unjustified departure from the commitment many of these countries made at the G20 meeting in Rome last month.”
THE NETHERLANDS WILL ENTER A TOUGHER LOCKOUT
The Netherlands moved into a tougher lockdown on Sunday, announced amid infections, even before the country had the first confirmed cases of the new Omicron virus variant. Bars, restaurants, non-essential shops, cinemas and theaters were among the public places that had to be closed from 5:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. as part of the new lockdown.
The restrictions came into effect hours after Health Minister Hugo de Jonge announced that at least 13 travelers who arrived at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport on Friday had tested positive for the new variant. He urged other travelers who came from southern Africa last week to get tested as well.
FACE MASKS MANDATORY IN UK
A third case of the Omicron coronavirus variant has been discovered in the UK, the Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said on Sunday. The most recent case is related to travel to southern Africa where the variant has been identified but the person is no longer in the UK. The British government had announced that face coverings in shops and public transport in England would become mandatory from Tuesday as part of the stricter Covid-19 restrictions in response to two cases of the new variant of Omicron discovered in the country.
Health Minister Sajid Javid said the obligation to conduct mandatory PCR testing, which must be carried out by all overseas immigrants in the UK, is also being enforced “as soon as possible”. The minister said he expected any new measures put in place to give scientists more time to analyze Omicron’s infectivity and vaccine resistance to be reversed “within weeks”.
ISRAEL IMPROVES TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS
Israel on Sunday approved the entry ban for foreigners and the use of controversial contact tracing technologies as part of its efforts to combat a new variant of the coronavirus.
The Ministry of Health said the country’s coronavirus cabinet had approved a number of measures, including travel to 50 red-list African countries, banning foreign nationals from entering the country and ordering quarantine for all Israelis arriving from abroad.
MOROCCO STOPPING ALL INCOMING FLIGHTS
Due to the rapid spread of the new Omicron variant, Morocco is suspending all incoming air travel from all over the world for two weeks from Monday, the Foreign Ministry announced on Sunday.
The ministry tweeted the decision was made to “preserve the achievements of Morocco in the fight against the pandemic and protect the health of its citizens”. It noted the spread of Omicron in Africa and Europe.
SPAIN ALLOWS UN VACCINATED BRITISH VISITORS FROM DECEMBER 1
Spain announced it will stop accepting unvaccinated British visitors from December 1st. Italy went through the lists of air passengers who have arrived in the past two weeks. France continues to push vaccinations and booster vaccinations.
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