Omicron Covid- 19 variant: How kontris across di world dey react to di new Covid strain

Only about 24% of South Africans have been fully vaccinated so far

Reuters

Kontris across di world don begin put in place serious measures to stop di spread of di new Covid-19 strain, Omicron, as dem don begin introduce restrictions wey dem bin relax few months ago.

Travel ban, partial lockdown, compulsory vaccination, compulsory use of facemask, social distance dey among tins goments dey bring back.

Di World Health Organization (WHO) bin warn say dis new strain na somTIN to worry about as early evidence suggest say e get higher risk of re-infection.

Dem identify di first case of di variant for South Africa on 24 November.

Since den, oda kontris begin dey record cases of di new variant.

Howeva doctors for South Africa say so far Omicron don show to only cause mild cases, although di cases dey on di rise.

WHO say di variant get plenti numba of mutations, and early evidence dey suggest possible increase risk of reinfection.

How kontris across di world dey react to di new Covid- 19 variant

South Africa

Travellers to London from Johannesburg dey tested on Friday morning but flights don dey suspended now

Reuters
Travellers to London from Johannesburg dey tested on Friday morning but flights don dey suspended now

South African foreign ministry don strongly condemn di travel bans different kontris dey sama on dem.

For inside statement, di ministry complain say dey dey face punishment instead of make kontris dey hail dem say dem quick discover Omicron.

“Excellent science suppose dey applauded not punished,” e tok.

Di bans na “same to punishing South Africa for dia advanced genomic sequencing and di ability to detect new variants quicker”.

Di statement add join say di bin dey completely different when new variants dey discovered for oda parts of di world.

United Kingdom

Omicron

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UK don announce compulsory PCR test for anyone wey dey enta di kontri.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid say face masks go dey compulsory for shops and public transport for England from Tuesday.

Travellers wey dey enta UK from di 10 new red list kontris go need quarantine for 10 days.

Two cases of di Omicron variant dey confam for Brentwood, Essex and Nottingham.

Officials say di cases dey linked and connected to travel for southern Africa, wia dem first see di new variant.

Israel

Israeli goment dey push for mandatory quarantine for all Israeli nationals wey dey return from abroad

Reuters
Israeli goment dey push for mandatory quarantine for all Israeli nationals wey dey return from abroad

From Sunday midnight, foreigners no go enta Israel for 14 days afta cabinet approval.

Dem go use surveillance stop di spread of di new strain.

Israel don confam one case of di virus variant.

Plus di entry ban for non-Israelis, three-day mandatory quarantine go dey required for all vaccinated Israeli nationals, and seven-day quarantine for those wey neva collect di vaccine.

For inside statement, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett say dem go use phone-tracking technology.

Earlier on Saturday, Israeli authorities put 50 African nations on “red” list.

All Israeli nationals’ wey dey return from those kontris must quarantine for goment approved hotels and undergo Covid tests.

Netherlands

Cafes, museums, and cinemas across the Netherlands must now be closed between 17:00 and 05:00 local time (16:00-04:00 GMT)

EPA
Cafes, museums, and cinemas across di Netherlands must close between 17:00 and 05:00 local time (16:00-04:00 GMT)

Tighter restrictions don come into force for di Netherlands sake of di new Omicron variant.

For at least di next three weeks, hospitality and cultural venues like cafes, museums, and cinemas must close by 17:00 local time (16:00 GMT).

Di Dutch goment don publish full list of di restrictions:

  • Non-essential shops must close between 17:00 and 05:00 local time.
  • Di 17:00 closure apply to cinemas, theatres, and saunas plus “contact professions”
  • Supermarkets, chemists and wholesalers must close between 20:00 and 05:00.
  • Indoor and outdoor sport facilities must close at 17:00.
  • But evening training sessions and sports matches for professional athletes fit continue
  • Maximum of four guests wey dey above 13 years old go dey allowed for pipo homes.
  • Make pipo work from home if e dey possible

During di lockdown, nurseries, schools and universities across di kontri go dey open open.

Thousands of protesters bin enta streets shortly afta di goment lockdown announcement.

Police use water cannon scata di crowds for di Hague.

Developments from oda kontris

Nigeria: Nigeria goment say dem go do everything possible to ensure say di new covid strain no enta di kontri. Di Presidential Sterring Committee on Covid- 19 also say dem dey chook eye well-well for di mata.

Austria: Thousands of pipo dey protest against government plans to make vaccinations mandatory.

Switzerland: don toughened di quarantine requirements for travellers from several European and African kontris. One referendum on Sunday go determine whether to keep di covid passport certificate wey dey required to get into most public spaces.

USA: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken don hail South Africa on top how dem quick share information on di new covid strain wit di rest of di world.He say dia transparency suppse serve as model for di world, and e speak to im South African colleague on how dem fit collabo vaccinate pipo for Africa.

Australia: say flights from South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, di Seychelles, Malawi, and Mozambique go dey suspended for 14 days. Non-Australians wey dey dos kontris for di past two weeks don dey banned from entering Australia