Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #101

[CoverMeCagney]

Ok guys, I gave Boris a quick ring, and….

Covid: Africa travel restrictions over variant fear

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said from 12:00 GMT on Friday six countries would be added to the red list, with flights being temporarily banned. All flights from South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho and Eswatini are being suspended, Mr Javid said.

 

[ilovewings]

Ok guys, I gave Boris a quick ring, and….

Is this the same one that’s been found in Botswana? It’s mainly concentrated in the Gauteng region of SA which includes Pretoria and Jo’burg. Bigger cities = higher density = more travel and transmission.

I’m feeling the need to phone Boris and tell him to stop flights from those at region pronto. We’ve been here before, with Delta flying in from India by the plane load.

Covid: Africa travel restrictions over variant fear

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said from 12:00 GMT on Friday six countries would be added to the red list, with flights being temporarily banned. All flights from South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho and Eswatini are being suspended, Mr Javid said.

Yes that is the variant discovered in Botswana

 

[Skigh]

South Africa could go on new red travel list as early as TOMORROW over fears of mutant strain | Daily Mail Online

Scientists tonight sounded the alarm over a new 'worst-ever' super-mutant Covid variant that will make vaccines at least 40 per cent less effective - forcing flights to be banned from South Africa and five other countries.

Experts explained earlier how the B.1.1.529 variant has more than 30 mutations – the most ever recorded in a variant and twice as many as Delta – that suggest it could be more jab-resistant and transmissible than any version before it.

The variant - which could be named 'Nu' by the World Health Organization in the coming days - has caused an 'exponential' rise in infections in South Africa and has already spread to three countries – including Hong Kong and Botswana, where it is believed to have emerged.

In response, Health Secretary Sajid Javid announced that flights from South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Botswana, Eswatini and Zimbabwe will be suspended from midday Friday and all six countries will be added to the red list.

No cases have been detected in the UK so far but everyone who has returned from South Africa in the past 10 days will be contacted and asked to take a test.

At the moment, around 500 and 700 people are travelling to the UK from South Africa each day, but it is expected this figure could increase as the festive period begins.

Mr Javid said: 'The early indication we have of this variant is it may be more transmissible than the Delta variant and the vaccines that we currently have may be less effective against it.

 

[CoverMeCagney]

At the moment, around 500 and 700 people are travelling to the UK from South Africa each day, but it is expected this figure could increase as the festive period begins.

500-700 is mercifully low compared to the tens of thousands flying in from Italy last year and India earlier this year. Both times we were 2-3 weeks too slow in grounding flights.

On one hand I’m pleased the government are reacting strongly and swiftly, but on the other it worries me that they must have just cause to believe this is a very dangerous variant.

 

[ilovewings]

500-700 is mercifully low compared to the tens of thousands flying in from Italy last year and India earlier this year. Both times we were 2-3 weeks too slow in grounding flights.

On one hand I’m pleased the government are reacting strongly and swiftly, but on the other it worries me that they must have just cause to believe this is a very dangerous variant.

It is definitely worrisome!!

 

[CoverMeCagney]

 

[GRT]

I read that the new B.1.1.529 variant will get here--it's just a matter of time--but travel bans will slow it down, which will give scientists a few more weeks to work.

This is crazy but we can't give up. We have to keep fighting.

 

[GRT]

This scientist's Twitter goes step-by-step explaining the new variant, what it contains, and why it's so dangerous. Read not just his first post but also his posts in the comments below.

https://twitter.com/PeacockFlu/stat...n-nearly-anything-else-about-warn-scientists/

 

[GRT]

Look how quickly the new variant has spiked. This is just nuts. The others, Beta and Delta, rose at a more gradual pace, but B.1.1.529 just rocketed upwards in the past few days.

This data comes from Tulio de Oliveira, the Director of CERI: Centre for Epidemic Response & innovation, South Africa.

https://twitter.com/Tuliodna

 

[Lilibet]

This scientist's Twitter goes step-by-step explaining the new variant, what it contains, and why it's so dangerous. Read not just his first post but also his posts in the comments below.

https://twitter.com/PeacockFlu/status/1463176821416075279?ref_src=twsrc^tfw|twcamp^tweetembed|twterm^1463176821416075279|twgr^|twcon^s1_&ref_url=https://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/new-covid19-variant-may-be-worse-than-nearly-anything-else-about-warn-scientists/

Thank you! Quite alarming and worth watching and maintaining our personal precautions. Kudos to the African scientists who discovered and publicized this variant. This article sort of summarizes some of the tweeted info…

New COVID variant B.1.1.529, which may evade immunity, found in these countries

One of the tweets talks about someone who traveled from South Africa to Hong Kong with this variant and infected someone across the hall in the quarantine hotel! Both Pfizer vaxxed.

 

[Lilibet]

As usual, Websleuths provides up-to-the-minute information about Covid-19, thanks to members posting info from a variety of sources.

 

[ilovewings]

As usual, Websleuths provides up-to-the-minute information about Covid-19, thanks to members posting info from a variety of sources.

Apparently the US is not stopping travel from South Africa to the United States. hmmm

Travel restrictions multiply for African countries over fears of a new variant.

You can see the United States is not on this list of countries restricting travel
WHY NOT?????

 

[Lilibet]

Apparently the US is not stopping travel from South Africa to the United States. hmmm

Travel restrictions multiply for African countries over fears of a new variant.

You can see the United States is not on this list of countries restricting travel
WHY NOT?????

Travel bans are complicated and may not be all that effective per some scientists. And there are economic consequences. But I expect a ban is coming for the U.S.

https://www.usnews.com/news/world/a...h-travel-ban-over-new-covid-19-variant-rushed

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention strongly discouraged travel bans on countries that had reported the variant. "Imposing bans on travellers from countries where a new variant is reported has not yielded a meaningful outcome," it said.

 

[ilovewings]

Travel bans are complicated and may not be all that effective per some scientists. And there are economic consequences. But I expect a ban is coming for the U.S.

https://www.usnews.com/news/world/a...h-travel-ban-over-new-covid-19-variant-rushed

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention strongly discouraged travel bans on countries that had reported the variant. "Imposing bans on travellers from countries where a new variant is reported has not yielded a meaningful outcome," it said.

Let's recall the beginning of the pandemic when people from China and Europe flocked to the United States by airplane and we know the virus was spread in that way. I don't believe travel restrictions do not yield a meaningful outcome. I think the countries where restrictions are put in place do not like those restrictions as it does affect the economy. To my way of thinking it is common sense that people traveling from countries where there is surge of virus, can spread it to other countries. Doesn't that make sense? Why are other countries
restricting travel? This new variant sounds as evil as any we have heard about: I would rather be more cautious than less cautious.

 

[Skigh]

'Worst ever' Botswana variant now spotted in Israel as strain spreads to four countries in two weeks | Daily Mail Online

Israel's health ministry said the patient tested positive for B.1.1.529 after returning from Malawi, suggesting it is already widespread on continental Africa. There are two other suspected cases in Israel.

Germany and Italy joined the UK in suspending travel from South Africa today and, in a sign of growing alarm, the European Union is also proposing prohibiting travel from the country and its neighbours.

Britain's Health Secretary Sajid Javid has raised the prospect of travel being suspended from more countries, saying the variant is a clear sign the pandemic is 'far from over'. He called on everyone to get their booster jabs.

South Africa's infection rate spiked 93 per cent in a day yesterday amid fears the strain is driving the surge. Local scientists say it has likely spread to all the country's nine provinces, but there is yet to be a hospitalisations surge in epicentre Johannesburg.

The new case is the third outside of Africa after two were spotted in Hong Kong. The first was in a traveller who had recently returned from South Africa and a second has now been detected in the same quarantine hotel.

Britain's Health Secretary Sajid Javid said it was 'highly likely' that the variant was already in other countries, adding that it poses a 'substantial risk to public health'.

 

[weepingangel]

New Covid variant: How worried should we be?

 

[Grouse]

DBM

 

[Grouse]

Let's recall the beginning of the pandemic when people from China and Europe flocked to the United States by airplane and we know the virus was spread in that way. I don't believe travel restrictions do not yield a meaningful outcome. I think the countries where restrictions are put in place do not like those restrictions as it does affect the economy. To my way of thinking it is common sense that people traveling from countries where there is surge of virus, can spread it to other countries. Doesn't that make sense? Why are other countries
restricting travel? This new variant sounds as evil as any we have heard about: I would rather be more cautious than less cautious.

I don't disagree but I think one of the concerns is that it may dissuade some countries from reporting new variants in future if they fear isolation/sanctions.

 

[jjenny]

Those new Pfizer drugs can't come fast enough. They don't depend on the exact sequence of Spike protein as far as I can tell.

 

[acutename]

'Worst ever' Botswana variant now spotted in Israel as strain spreads to four countries in two weeks | Daily Mail Online

Israel's health ministry said the patient tested positive for B.1.1.529 after returning from Malawi, suggesting it is already widespread on continental Africa. There are two other suspected cases in Israel.

Germany and Italy joined the UK in suspending travel from South Africa today and, in a sign of growing alarm, the European Union is also proposing prohibiting travel from the country and its neighbours.

Britain's Health Secretary Sajid Javid has raised the prospect of travel being suspended from more countries, saying the variant is a clear sign the pandemic is 'far from over'. He called on everyone to get their booster jabs.

South Africa's infection rate spiked 93 per cent in a day yesterday amid fears the strain is driving the surge. Local scientists say it has likely spread to all the country's nine provinces, but there is yet to be a hospitalisations surge in epicentre Johannesburg.

The new case is the third outside of Africa after two were spotted in Hong Kong. The first was in a traveller who had recently returned from South Africa and a second has now been detected in the same quarantine hotel.

Britain's Health Secretary Sajid Javid said it was 'highly likely' that the variant was already in other countries, adding that it poses a 'substantial risk to public health'.

presumably we can rapid test people if we do not have a travel ban, but if he "quarantine hotel" does not control spread(!) what do we actually do? sounds as if one whole airplane could all be infected from one traveler