WHO urges caution over travel bans linked to new COVID-19 variant

The improvement connected Friday came arsenic a World Health Organization (WHO) sheet prepared to conscionable to measure the imaginable interaction of a caller coronavirus variant identified arsenic B 1.1.529.

According to WHO’s COVID-19 method lead, Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove the accusation is inactive limited.

“There are less than 100 full genome sequences that are available, we don’t cognize precise overmuch astir this yet. What we bash cognize is that this variant has a ample fig of mutations, and the interest is that erstwhile you person truthful galore mutations it tin person an interaction connected however the microorganism behaves”, she said during a Q&A connected Twitter.

Dr. Van Kerkhove explained that researchers are presently trying to find wherever the mutations are and what they perchance mean for diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines.

“It volition instrumentality a fewer weeks for america to recognize what interaction this variant has, there’s a batch of enactment that is underway. It’s a variant that’s nether monitoring. The (WHO) method advisory radical volition sermon if it volition go a variant of involvement oregon a variant of interest and if that’s the case, we volition springiness it a Greek name, but it is thing to watch”, she added.

UN News/Daniel Dickinson

Air question betwixt has declined importantly during the COVID-19 pandemic.

‘Do not discriminate’

The adept thanked researchers from South Africa and Botswana for openly sharing accusation to the UN wellness agency.

“Everyone retired there: bash not discriminate against countries that stock their findings openly”, she urged, arsenic countries specified arsenic Britain, France and Israel person moved to cancel nonstop flights from South Africa and surrounding nations.

According to South African wellness authorities so acold less than 100 cases of the caller variant person been confirmed, mostly among young radical who person the lowest vaccination complaint successful the country.

“Countries tin bash a batch already successful presumption of surveillance and sequencing and enactment unneurotic with the affected countries oregon globally and scientifically to combat this variant and recognize much astir it truthful that we cognize however to spell about…so astatine this constituent implementing question measures is being cautioned against”, WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier told journalists successful Geneva.

IMF Photo/James Oatway

A pistillate sews look masks to merchantability during the COVID-19 situation successful South Africa.

Protect yourself and others

The WHO officials reminded erstwhile advice: radical tin bash a batch to support themselves from COVID, including by continuing to deterioration masks and avoiding crowds.

“Everybody that’s retired determination needs to recognize that the much this microorganism circulates the much opportunities the microorganism has to change, the much mutations we volition see”, said Dr. Van Kerkhove.

“Get vaccinated erstwhile you can, marque definite you person the afloat people of your doses and marque definite you instrumentality steps to trim your vulnerability and forestall yourself from passing that microorganism to idiosyncratic else”, she added.