The backlash on South Africa sounding the alarm on the new Omicron COVID variant has continued as Nigeria has now been added to the UK Red List Countries. This was announced in a statement by the UK government.
Omicron is a new variant of the virus that causes COVID-19. The World Health Organization declared it a ‘variant of concern’ on 26 November 2021. This was based on preliminary evidence that it spreads quickly. A variant of concern is one that may change how the pandemic behaves, so the WHO pays close attention to it.
The statement reads: “From 4am on Monday 6 December, UK and Irish citizens and residents arriving from Nigeria must isolate in a government-approved managed quarantine facility for 10 days, and receive two negative PCR tests, as further precautionary action is taken against the Omicron variant.
“Currently, the vast majority of cases in the UK have clear links to overseas travel from South Africa and Nigeria, and over the past week, 21 Omicron cases reported in England originate from Nigeria.
“A temporary travel ban will therefore be introduced for all non-UK and non-Irish citizens and residents who have been in Nigeria in the last 10 days, meaning they will be refused entry into the UK. This does not apply to those who have stayed airside and only transited through Nigeria while changing flights.”
The statement adds: “These additional measures are vital to delaying the import of additional cases and slow the rise in cases within the UK. However, as the Prime Minister set out on 27 November, all temporary measures will be reviewed after three weeks to ensure that they remain necessary and proportionate, and this will take place on 20 December.”
The UK which has recorded over 134 identified cases added Angola, Botswana, Eswatini Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zambia to the UK Red List Countries.
Before you travel to England – red list rules
Before you travel to England you must:
- Take a COVID-19 test – you must take the test in the 3 days before you travel to England
- Book a quarantine hotel package, including 2 COVID-19 tests before you travel. The quarantine hotel package cost £2,285 for 2 adults.
- complete a passenger locator form
- You must do this even if you are fully vaccinated
The UK government further warned travellers not attempt to travel from a red list country without a Managed Quarantine Service (MQS) booking, as they will not be able to board a flight and could be subject to a fixed penalty notice at the UK border.
It is noteworthy to state that there have been several reports of Omicron being present in Europe before the South African announcement.
CNN reports that 9 cases of Omicron were linked to a private event held on November 20th in Scotland and they never had travel history or known links to others who had traveled from southern Africa. Presently, up to 70 countries, including the United States, have imposed travel bans and restrictions to southern African countries.
Despite, all the travel bans and anecdotes that Omicron originated from South Africa, the WHO says that it had not seen any reports of deaths relating to the new Omicron variant of Covid-19.
