UK bans South Africa travel as new Covid variant identified

[VauxhallandI]

Travel news: UK bans South Africa travel as new Covid variant identified​

UK restricts South Africa travel amid new Covid variant fears

The UK has introduced new border restrictions on South Africa, effective immediately, amid concerns that a new Covid-19 variant has been imported from the country.

www.telegraph.co.uk

The UK has introduced new border restrictions on South Africa, effective immediately, amid concerns that a new Covid-19 variant has been imported from the country.

All those who have travelled from South Africa in the last fortnight have been instructed to quarantine, as well as anyone they have come into close contact with.

In a briefing this afternoon, Health Secretary Matt Hancock also announced “immediate restrictions on travel from South Africa”, indicating that flight routes will be closed.

"We'll be changing the law to get this legal effect imminently," he said, adding that these "measures are temporary while we investigate further this new strain which is shortly to be analysed at Porton Down."

We will bring you more on this story as it develops.


Must be a disproportionate, spiteful (and illegal under international law) action to block freight by Johnson???????

 

[Yew]

What even are proportionality and legality these days? All that matters is being tough on people the virus.

 

[DB]

Given that there are already reportedly over 12,00 mutations, have they latched onto this as a way to increase restrictions? They can probably find at least one new mutation every week or two without even looking too hard, given the sequencing work already going on.

 

[scotrail158713]

Given that there are already reportedly over 12,00 mutations, have they latched onto this as a way to increase restrictions? They can probably find at least one new mutation every week or two without even looking too hard, given the sequencing work already going on.

I think you’re spot on. From my, very limited, scientific knowledge, do viruses not mutate into new strains naturally as a way to survive? Covid in the UK is likely to be a different strain to the one initially seen in Wuhan.

 

[kristiang85]

Given that there are already reportedly over 12,00 mutations, have they latched onto this as a way to increase restrictions? They can probably find at least one new mutation every week or two without even looking too hard, given the sequencing work already going on.

This is the feeling I'm getting. It's like Hancock has a new toy and he's so excited about using it to restrict us ever more. I think he knows people are 'waking up' (I hate that phrase, but I can't think of anything better right now in my beer addled brain), and is just trying to find ever more ways to whip the media into a fear frenzy. And they do it like obedient puppies.

 

[MattA7]

Was there not concerns that the South African strain was more lethal in the younger population hence why the government may be more concerned. Hard to tell what is real and what is simply government propaganda/scaremongering

 

[Huntergreed]

I think you’re spot on. From my, very limited, scientific knowledge, do viruses not mutate into new strains naturally as a way to survive? Covid in the UK is likely to be a different strain to the one initially seen in Wuhan.

One of my friends who works in the labs at the local hospital has said that the strains are “normal and expected” and that they are being used to increase compliance to drive cases down so the government can look good. They said that they knew cases would explode over Christmas and they would look bad unless they did something to increase compliance. Not sure how true that is, but it absolutely wouldn’t shock me

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

Travel news: UK bans South Africa travel as new Covid variant identified​

UK restricts South Africa travel amid new Covid variant fears

The UK has introduced new border restrictions on South Africa, effective immediately, amid concerns that a new Covid-19 variant has been imported from the country.

www.telegraph.co.uk

The UK has introduced new border restrictions on South Africa, effective immediately, amid concerns that a new Covid-19 variant has been imported from the country.

All those who have travelled from South Africa in the last fortnight have been instructed to quarantine, as well as anyone they have come into close contact with.

In a briefing this afternoon, Health Secretary Matt Hancock also announced “immediate restrictions on travel from South Africa”, indicating that flight routes will be closed.

"We'll be changing the law to get this legal effect imminently," he said, adding that these "measures are temporary while we investigate further this new strain which is shortly to be analysed at Porton Down."

We will bring you more on this story as it develops.


Must be a disproportionate, spiteful (and illegal under international law) action to block freight by Johnson???????

Several other countries had already imposed a ban on SA several days ago so yet again we are behind the curve.

 

[Scotrail12]

One of my friends who works in the labs at the local hospital has said that the strains are “normal and expected” and that they are being used to increase compliance to drive cases down so the government can look good. They said that they knew cases would explode over Christmas and they would look bad unless they did something to increase compliance. Not sure how true that is, but it absolutely wouldn’t shock me

I'd say the same thing - they want something to prevent a strong increase in cases post Christmas. I'll be interested to see if it's completely forgotten about by the end of January.

 

[SS4]

I'd say the same thing - they want something to prevent a strong increase in cases post Christmas. I'll be interested to see if it's completely forgotten about by the end of January.

Guaranteed, the media will find a new way to scare us. Remember when climate change was in the news and everyone cared about their plastic use?