Meanwhile, Swiss voters backed the government in a referendum on whether people going to bars and restaurants should show a Covid certificate to demonstrate their vaccination or recovery status. Cases have already been detected elsewhere in Europe.įollowing the discovery of cases in the UK, the government reimposed some restrictions including compulsory mask wearing on public transport and shops in England. “This could possibly be the tip of the iceberg,” he said.Īustria also announced that it had detected its first suspected case of Omicron, while the French health minister, Olivier Véran, said it was probably only a matter of hours before the variant was picked up in France. The Dutch health minister, Hugo de Jonge, said it was “not unlikely” that more Omicron cases would appear in the Netherlands. The Dutch public health authority confirmed on Sunday that 13 people who had arrived on flights from South Africa on Friday had so far tested positive for Omicron. will do is to further damage the economies of the affected countries and undermine their ability to respond to. “The prohibition of travel is not informed by science, nor will it be effective in preventing the spread of this variant,” he said. South Africa’s president Cyril Ramaphosa described travel bans as “a clear and completely unjustified departure from the commitment that many of these countries made at the meeting of G20 countries in Rome last month”. If restrictions are implemented, they should not be unnecessarily invasive or intrusive, and should be scientifically based.” The WHO itself said in a statement: “Travel restrictions may play a role in slightly reducing the spread of Covid-19 but place a heavy burden on lives and livelihoods. “With the Omicron variant now detected in several regions of the world, putting in place travel bans that target Africa attacks global solidarity,” said WHO regional director general Matshidiso Moeti. The head of the World Health Organization in Africa urged countries to follow the science rather than imposing flight bans. “We know we are now in a race against time,” European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said, adding that vaccine manufacturers needed two to three weeks “to get a full picture of the quality of the mutations”. On Sunday Angola became the first southern African country to suspend all flights from its regional neighbours Mozambique, Namibia and South Africa.Įarly evidence suggests the heavily mutated variant poses a higher risk of reinfection than earlier variants and that it could also be more transmissible. If you will be visiting someone who is at higher risk of getting very sick from COVID-19, learn how to protect them.Many countries, including Brazil, Canada, European Union states, Iran and the US, have placed restrictions on travel from various southern African countries over the past couple of days since the variant was identified by researchers in South Africa.Even if you are up to date, you should know what precautions to take. Talk to your healthcare provider about your risk before travel and consider delaying travel to areas with high COVID-19 levels. If you have a weakened immune system or are at increased risk for severe disease, take multiple prevention steps to provide additional layers of protection from COVID-19 even if you are up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines.If you do not follow your destination’s requirements, you may be denied entry and required to return to the United States. Requirements in other countries may differ from U.S.Follow all requirements of transportation operators (such as airlines, cruise lines, buses) and any requirements, including mask wearing, proof of vaccination, or testing, at your destination.Check the current COVID-19 situation at your destination.COVID-19 vaccines are effective at protecting people-especially those who are boosted- from getting seriously ill, being hospitalized, and even dying.Find out when you can get your booster and where to get a vaccine or booster.Get up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines before you travel.Before You Leave the United States Make sure to plan ahead at Land Ports of Entry and Ferry Terminals. Department of Homeland Security’s Fact Sheet: Guidance for Travelers to Enter the U.S. For information about COVID-19 requirements for land travel and at ferry terminals, visit the U.S.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |