Omicron variant leads to new travel bans
The United States has imposed new travel restrictions in hopes of keeping a new strain of the coronavirus out. However, some experts say it may be too late by now.
DALLAS – The Biden government is making plans for a new variant of the coronavirus that is likely to be found in the United States.
Little is known about the Omicron variant.
Doctors don’t know how contagious it is compared to other varieties or whether it is more likely to lead to serious illness.
But despite all the unknowns, the US and other countries are already imposing travel restrictions.
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As of Monday, the US will restrict travel from eight South African countries to non-citizens.
Japan also announced that it would suspend entry to all foreign visitors.
The variant of Omicron was discovered in South Africa last week and spread quickly there.
It has since been found in places like Canada, France, Germany, and Hong Kong.
“We can certainly see that this seems to be spreading fairly quickly in South Africa and some of its neighbors in southern Africa, so it is concluded that it is particularly contagious. We don’t know how serious it is to try to get this data as soon as possible to collect, said Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health.
“The profile of the mutations strongly suggests that it will have an advantage in communicability and that it could escape the immune protection you would and possibly even would receive from a monoclonal antibody or from the convalescent serum after infection in a person, for example.” against some of the vaccine-induced antibodies, “said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the Institute for Allergies and Infectious Diseases.
So far, the new variant has not been detected in the US, but some doctors believe it could already be here.
In this photo illustration, a statement by the WHO (World Health Organization) on the new SARS-CoV-2 variant Omicron can be seen in the news on a smartphone screen. (Photo illustration by Pavlo Gonchar / SOPA Images / LightRocket via Getty Images)
The World Health Organization does not recommend overreacting until the Omicron variant has been thoroughly investigated.
A statement said travel bans could “play a role in containing the spread of COVID-19 somewhat but put a heavy toll on life and livelihoods”.
On Monday, President Joe Biden is expected to give an update on the new variant and America’s reaction.
Vaccine makers have said it is too early to say if their vaccines will be effective against the strain, but all three US-approved vaccines could be updated if necessary.
Moderna’s chief medical officer said the company is trying to predict mutations and act quickly. A revised vaccine could be ready in a few months.
Pfizer and Johnson and Johnson are also working on possible revisions.
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