Omicron Variant: Boris Johnson, World Leaders Reimpose Corona-restrictions
Following detection of the so-called Omicron variant of the China coronavirus in South Africa, left-wing bureaucrats, scientists and politicians are already pushing for the reintroduction of lockdown measures that have devasted economies of western countries in the past 2 years.
Leaders are moving to reimpose restrictions even after the South African doctor who earlier alerted authorities about Omicron, said: “their symptoms were so different and so mild from those I had treated before."
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced new restrictions at a Downing Street news conference Saturday, after it was confirmed that two Omicron cases had been detected in Brentwood, Essex, and Nottingham.
Under the plan, from next week:
Everyone entering the UK (other than those coming from the Common Travel Area that covers the Channel Islands and Ireland) will have to take PCR test by the end of the second day after their arrival and self-isolate until they receive a negative result
All contacts of suspected Omicron cases must self-isolate, regardless of whether or not they are fully jabbed
Face coverings will be made compulsory in shops and on public transport - but hospitality settings will be exempt from the changes
The health secretary is to ask advisers to consider rapidly extending boosters, including reducing the gap between the second dose of the vaccine and the booster
"Our scientists are learning more hour by hour, and it does appear that Omicron spreads very rapidly and can be spread between people who are double vaccinated," Johnson said. "We need to slow down the spread of this variant here in the UK, because measures at the border can only ever minimize and delay the arrival of a new variant rather than stop it all together."
President Joe Biden has announced a ban starting Monday, on all flights into United States originating in South Africa and its seven neighbors. U.S. State Department has also issued Level 4 “do not travel” advisories which apply to the eight nations: South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Mozambique, Malawi, Lesotho, Eswatini and Botswana.
Critics called out Biden's hypocrisy for his tweet as a presidential candidate last year, attacking then President Trump for imposing such travel restrictions.
The then Democrat nominee for president, suggested that Trump's decision to impose travel bans from China and Africa was motivated by racism.
"Trump further diminished the U.S. in the eyes of the world by expanding his travel ban," Biden tweeted in February. "This new 'African Ban,' is designed to make it harder for black and brown people to immigrate to the United States. It’s a disgrace, and we cannot let him succeed."
The so-called Omicron variant is here, and apparently travel bans and even more coronavirus lockdown restrictions are back in full force.
Other European nations have also reimposed tighter restrictions.
The pandemic is never-ending?