Europe is busy dealing with the rebound caused by the Delta strain of the coronavirus mutant virus, and the emergence of the new variant Omikjon has made countries more nervous. In addition to imposing a travel ban on South Africa and its surrounding countries, which were the first to report cases of new strain infection, many European countries have also tightened domestic epidemic prevention measures, resumed wearing masks in indoor places, shortening business hours in stores and other regulations.
The Dutch government stipulates that all bars, restaurants and most stores will be closed after 17 o’clock every day from the 28th. The health department has genetically sequenced 61 passengers who tested positive for the novel coronavirus after arriving in Amsterdam, the capital, from Johannesburg, South Africa, on the 26th. 13 of them have been confirmed to be infected with the Omikon strain; the transferee is contacting about 5000 passengers who have entered southern African countries since the 22nd to track down. The spread route of the virus.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier published an article in Sunday Bild on the 28th, calling on the German people to “observe the (epidemic prevention) regulations and reduce contact with others again… so that schools and childcare institutions do not have to close down again, and we do not need to suspend public life again”.
As of the 28th, 3 cases of Omikjon strain infection have been confirmed in Germany. At the same time, the momentum of the fourth wave of the epidemic, mainly caused by the spread of Delta strain, has not decreased, putting pressure on the medical system. The German Academy of Sciences called on the government to quickly implement “restricted personnel contact” measures and maintain them for several weeks, including for those who have been vaccinated. It also called for expanding the scope of increased vaccination and mandatory vaccination for high-risk groups such as medical staff.
British Health Secretary Said Javid told Sky News on the 28th that from the 30th, people in England must wear masks in stores and when riding public transportation. The British government lifted the mask order in England in July, while the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland governments retained mandatory masks in the public transportation system and most indoor places. The new order means that this epidemic prevention measure will be implemented uniformly throughout the UK.
However, according to British media reports, retail and medical staff who contact the public every day believe that the mask order should have been implemented. British trade unions in stores, distribution and related industries accused government officials of “changing back and forth in terms of basic and reasonable epidemic prevention measures (directions). Carol Popelston, director of the British School of Nursing, said that the mask order “is something we have called for and should not force the Prime Minister to take action because of the emergence of new variants of the virus”.
The United Kingdom announced the day before that it had confirmed the discovery of two cases of Omikjun strain infection in China, which were related to each other and had a recent history of travel to southern Africa.
The United Kingdom has included 10 African countries, including South Africa and Namibia, on the “Red Alert” travel warning list, prohibiting residents of these countries from entering the United Kingdom, while British and Irish citizens with recent travel history need to be quarantined in designated hotels for 10 days after entering the country; other overseas tourists must enter the UK at the latest day. You must be tested for nucleic acid and self-isolation before getting negative results. Contacts of any suspected case in Omikjon must self-isolate, whether or not they have been vaccinated or not.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on the 27th that the current new epidemic prevention regulations are “temporary and preventive” measures, which will be reassessed in three weeks, just before the traditional festivals at the end of the year in most schools. However, he stressed the need to ” slow down the spread of new mutant strains in the United Kingdom”, because entry restrictions “can only cushion and delay the arrival of new mutant strains and cannot completely stop it”.
According to Jared, the current situation in the UK is “far short of” to reintroduce measures such as working from home, because the implementation of such measures may require a “heavy price” in terms of economic, social and public mental health.
