Just in time for the holiday season.
Here we go again…..another problem with the Covid thing….this time in South Africa
The world got an unwanted new arrival on Friday: Omicron. Here’s the latest on the worrisome new COVID variant:
- New name: After an emergency review, the World Health Organization on Friday declared the emerging strain of COVID a “variant of concern,” reports the Washington Post. The variant, first detected in South Africa, was dubbed Omicron, named after a Greek letter in keeping with other variants such as Delta.
- Travel restrictions: The US will restrict travel from South Africa and seven other African nations: Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique, and Malawi. The restrictions are to start Monday, reports Politico.
- ‘Most worrying’: Much is unknown about the strain, but researchers fear its large number of mutations will help it spread easily and perhaps better evade vaccines. For now, the variant is the “most worrying we’ve seen,” says Susan Hopkins, an adviser to Britain’s Health and Security Agency. So far, no cases have been reported in the USFound in Europe: The first case of the new variant has been detected in Europe, adding to worries about how far the strain already has spread. The Guardian reports that Belgium confirmed a case of the variant in an unvaccinated woman with no travel links to South Africa or neighboring countries. Authorities say the woman developed mild symptoms 11 days after traveling from Egypt to Belgium via Turkey. The only other known cases outside southern Africa are in Israel, where a traveler who had returned from Malawi is now in isolation, and Hong Kong, where two travelers tested positive while in hotel quarantine.
Seeking answers: Fauci says the variant has more than 30 mutations to its spike protein, which “are raising some concern, particularly with regard to possibly transmissibility increase, and possibly evasion of immune response.” Fauci says officials have arranged talks Friday between American scientists and their South African counterparts. “We want to find out, scientist-to-scientist, exactly what is going on,” he says.
Restrictions elsewhere: More than a dozen countries in Europe and Asia have halted or restricted travel from countries in southern Africa, and the European Commission has urged all EU members to put an “emergency brake” on travel, the New York Times reports. Earlier Friday, Dr. Anthony Fauci told CNN that there is “no indication” the variant has arrived in the US, but “we’re rushing now to get that scientific data.”
And just in time for Christmas…..
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In Saner Thought 
This was always a concern of mine when rich countries did not do everything in their power to ensure vaccines were available throughout all countries. Buckle up.
the greed seems to not do anything good especial when it comes to health chuq
True.
😎
Reblogged this on It Is What It Is and commented:
Just a heads up!! … “Just in time for the holiday season. Here we go again!! – Here we go again … another problem with the Covid thing!”
8-0….thanx chuq
2 cases are in the UK now, just as I thought would happen. It’ll now spread all over the world like wildfire because the powers-that-be won’t shut down the airlines.
I see the variant has been found in other countries as well….greed is helping it spread. Thanx for the visit chuq
I don’t think this variant is as scary as the news companies are trying to make it seem. It appears that the current vaccinations are good enough to deal with it.
Best wishes, Pete
I hope your are right chuq
It hardly matters Chuck. Greed has a contagion all its’ own. Ir functions like a succubus, bringing ruin to all who succumb.
A cancer that just grows bigger annually chuq
Reblogged this on OPENED HERE >> https:/BOOKS.ESLARN-NET.DE.
In the past, i always asked myself how they will stop the cheap, but horrible usage of planes. Now, i know! In my meaning this viruses nothing else as influenca, but the human civilisation in the so called civilized countries has gone older, and is much more vulnerable now. ;-/ Please take care, Chuq! xx Michael
Easily available flights to all over the globe does nothing but make transference easier….be well and be safe chuq
Thats true, but it was clear that some will not permanent allow these for everyone. Now we have a reason, the climate change. Be also well, and stay save, Chuq! Here we will deal with the new variant from South Africa, an its 30 mutants. xx Michael
Looks like this is going to remain part of the human condition.
Sadly yes…..have a good Sunday and be well chuq
Here is my take on what is happening with the variants …The variants are struggling to keep the destructive nature of the original virus going so that it can find ever more people to infect. But since the vaccines and the social distancing have some on the scene, the pandemic is slowly losing strength and is not concentrating mainly on the anti mask people and the unvaccinated. The new variant is in a panic-stricken mode because it is a weaker variant and it is sending out more spores (Mutations) in a desperate attempt to survive …But from here on out the whole pandemic thing is going to get weaker and weaker because it is running out of people to infect … once it rids the world of the idiots who refuse to protect themselves and others, it will die out completely — or more or less completely … and what we will have left is an easily manageable version that will be more like the common influenza than anything else …
Sounds like a plan to me chuq