UK calls emergency G7 meeting on Omicron – MercoPress

UK calls emergency G7 meeting on Omicron

On Sunday, the UK government announced the call for an “emergency meeting” to address the Omicron variant of the coronavirus and the resulting new health map.

The British Ministry of Health has made it clear that it wants to talk as quickly as possible with colleagues from the United States, Canada, Germany, France, Italy and Japan, something that will happen on November 29, as this was confirmed, as it was confirmed that there are cases linked to the new strain that was discovered in the Netherlands, Italy, Germany and other countries. other European.

In the UK, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has confirmed three cases so far. While the pandemic has already claimed more than five million lives worldwide since the end of 2019, is the arrival of the Omicron variant last week worrisome? Friday by the World Health Organization.

Since it was first identified in South Africa, many countries have closed their borders with that country or banned flights to that location or to nearby Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique, Zambia, Malawi and Angola.

“Under the British presidency, an urgent meeting of G7 health ministers has been called on Monday 29 November to discuss Micron’s development,” the British government said in a statement.

In addition to the G7 delegates, representatives of the European Union are expected to join as guests at the conference, which is expected to take place in virtual format.

As a result of the emergence of Ómicron, the British government is re-introducing face masks in some indoor spaces, PCR tests upon return from abroad even for those vaccinated, and accelerating booster doses of the vaccine in the rest of the population.

Only British nationals can return from those African countries, but they must all be subject to mandatory quarantine in hotels designated by the authorities and paid for by unintended guests. The blacklisted countries are: South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Angola, Mozambique, Malawi and Zambia.

South Africa alerted the world to Omicron on Friday after it saw a sharp increase in cases for a week, possibly linked to the new variant, which has a large number of mutations. There is concern that these mutations will make current vaccines less effective.

The UK statement announcing the meeting also confirmed that face coverings in the country will now be mandatory in shops, banks, post offices, hairdressers and on public transport from Tuesday. Students, staff and high school visitors will also be “encouraged” to use face masks.

Also from Tuesday, all travelers returning to the UK from any country will be required to take a PCR test regardless of vaccination status, as well as self-isolate until negative. Free tests from the National Health Service will not be available.