New virus strain: EU starts to ease bans, WHO to meet

Summary

• Europe began to lift travel bans that were put in place to curb the virus from 23 December
• The EU has insisted virus tests be carried out on passengers within 72 hours before travel

Just as the first doses of vaccines sparked a ray of hope among people, the UK government’s announcement of a new strain of the novel coronavirus on Sunday (20 December) set alarm bells ringing across the world.

Air travel bans were imposed by over 40 countries on the UK which led the stock markets to tumble. Further, the new mutation gave rise to anxiety over whether the vaccines would be effective against it.

(Image source: ©Kalkine Group 2020)

The European Chief of World Health Organization (WHO), Hans Kluge said yesterday that the WHO is set to hold a meeting of members to discuss strategies that will help in countering the new, fast-spreading Covid-19 strain that has emerged in Britain and other parts of the world.

Amidst this, Europe began to lift travel bans that were put in place to curb the virus from today (23 December). The EU has insisted virus tests be carried out on passengers within 72 hours before travel.

Meanwhile, the European Union had received approval from the regulatory authority, European Medical Agency and is in process to begin with the inoculation programme by rolling out the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine on 27 December, following similar vaccination campaigns in the UK and the US.

Also Read: Is Coronavirus Mutation Slower than Seasonal Influenza?

(Image source: ©Kalkine Group 2020)

The European Commission also urged EU nations yesterday (22 December) to ease travel bans imposed on the United Kingdom recently, saying flight and train bans should be discontinued given the need to ensure essential travel and to avoid supply chain disruptions.

Which other nation is easing the curbs?

France has also announced that it will be reopening the cross-border travel with Britain from today, but the travellers will be required to be tested negative of the Covid-19 disease.

France's ban on freight traffic as part of a 48-hour blockade on the movement of people across the English Channel was one of the biggest concerns of Britain and it had become increasingly isolated after the restriction was imposed. It had led to long tailbacks of freight lorries that were stacked up in southern England and had disrupted passenger travel in the run-up to Christmas.

Grant Shapps, the UK Transport Secretary had announced late in the evening yesterday that Britain and France had settled on a protocol that will see the French border reopen for urgent travel only, that too in case they provide a copy of a certified negative Covid-19 test.

Jean-Baptiste Djebarri, the French Transport Minister also confirmed that air travel, boats and Eurostar trains would resume service from today morning.

Congestion around the key southern port of Dover remained despite the negotiations between the UK and France, which is unlikely to recede in the short-term.

On the other hand, Germany disclosed yesterday that it is extending its ban on arrivals from the UK as well as South Africa until 6 January 2021. Justifying Germany’s move, Jens Spahn, its Health Minister said that Germany aims to prevent the potentially dangerous virus mutations from spreading in continental Europe as long as it is possible.