On November 24 the World Health Organization (WHO) received research from the area of genomics and bioinformatics from the South African University of KwaZulu-Natal. It was signed by the group dedicated to studying the evolution of the covid-19 pandemic that it has already detected the beta variant and it warned about a new variant —B.1.1.529— in the province of Gauteng (which includes the cities of Pretoria and Johannesburg). Is the one that days later has been baptized as omicron and on which experts have advanced that its transmission has been faster and that it has more than 50 mutations in its genome compared to the original Wuhan sequence. The WHO described it as a “worrisome” variant and asked the international community for time for scientists to continue investigating and offering more details about the new mutation of the virus. This Sunday this organization has criticized the veto on flights from southern Africa that some countries are implementing, like those that are part of the European Union.
In the following hours, the opposite occurred of what the scientific community and the South African authorities expected. “Detecting does not mean generating, detecting is an important stage of the scientific method that should lead to the advancement of knowledge for an improvement in the quality of life of citizens”, explains between angry and indignant Fernando Albericio, doctor in Organic Chemistry, professor at horse between the universities of Barcelona and KwaZulu-Natal. With a similar feeling of bitterness, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of this country stated that South Africa “should be applauded and rewarded for detecting the new variant of covid-19, instead of being punished.” And the spokeswoman for the National Assembly, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, claimed to feel “annoyed and irritated” by the travel ban to South Africa and the countries of the south of the African continent, for condemning them to “a situation of isolation”.
The hasty measures taken by some European countries and by the European Union as a whole, caused the cancellation of dozens of flights and that on Thursday and Friday of last week the Johannesburg airport, one of the main hubs of connection, was in chaos. Africa with other continents. In the Netherlands, the Dutch company KLM maintained the normal traffic of its flights, taking extreme precautionary measures, carrying out antigen tests on arrival for the flights that departed on Thursday –in which 61 positives were detected among 600 passengers, at least 13 of them with the new variant-. Other companies, such as the Swiss Swiss or the British British Airways, announced that they ensured the air link exclusively for their nationals. This Sunday, Air France confirmed that it will return to normal flights with South Africa from Tuesday.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has shown this Sunday its rejection of the flight restrictions imposed around the world on flights from southern Africa and has urged governments to reopen their borders and “follow science and regulation International Health ”. “Travel restrictions may play a role in slightly reducing the spread of covid-19, but they pose a great burden to lives and livelihoods,” said this agency through a statement.
The WHO states that South Africa has complied with the provisions of said regulation and reported the omicron variant as soon as it became aware of it on November 24. “The speed and transparency of the governments of South Africa and Botswana in informing the world of the new variant is to be commended. WHO supports African countries that had the courage to boldly share life-saving public health information, helping to protect the world against the spread of covid, ″ said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.
Moeti stressed that the measures are adopted on a scientific basis, recalling that restrictions have been imposed on the entire southern African region when the new variant has only been detected in two countries and that nations in other regions of the world also have cases and have not there have been prohibitions. “With the omicron variant now detected in various regions of the world, the implementation of travel bans targeting Africa attacks global solidarity. Covid-19 constantly exploits our divisions. We will only get the best out of the virus if we work together to find solutions, “Moeti added.
The announcement of the South African scientific discovery has dealt a new blow to the already battered tourism sector in this country, which accounts for 8.9% of GDP and employs 1.7 million people (74% are women). Preparations for the austral summer and the Christmas holidays, for which reservations had increased from outside the continent, have been frustrated by the uncertainty and the difficulty of getting around. From the sector, the Government of Cyril Ramaphosa has been asked to avoid raising the alarm level, which allows mobility between provinces and maintains lax measures regarding the number of people who can meet. The current level one is the lowest in which South Africa has been since the pandemic began and was decreed by the Executive a few weeks before the November 1 elections to allow pre-election meetings. “We have not made any decisions on new restrictions. They should not be taken lightly because we know their impact on our economy ”, declared Joe Phaahla, Minister of Health, in the face of the pressure that the international community may put on the African country.
With an average of 3,862 new cases per day and 35.6% of the population vaccinated with the full schedule, according to data from the South African Executive, experts point to the need to take advantage of the appearance of the omicron variant to launch a wide campaign of awareness that makes the population flock to get vaccinated. In interviews on the country’s radios and televisions, analysts go to great lengths to explain that vaccinated people who are facing the new variant are suffering muscle pain and extreme fatigue, but they are not needing to be hospitalized, thus managing to overcome the virus at home. A special warning has also been given to young people, who at the end of the academic year have gathered at parties without keeping a safe distance or using the mask incorrectly.
“They treat us as if we were the virus itself, it seems that South Africa has become the covid, with the closure of borders and the cessation of flights,” a private television presenter said without hiding her anger sistance, manifesting what many South Africans experience these days. The communicators also wondered if they have not sinned being transparent and collaborating with the rest of the international community.
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