A new variant of the Chinese Communist virus (New Coronavirus, Covid-19), VUI, has once again caused global panic ahead of this year’s Christmas holiday. British health Secretary Matt Hancock said the virus was “out of control.
The new variant, which is 70 percent more infectious than other existing strains, has led to a dramatic spike in infections in southern England, where a new level 4 (most stringent) precautionary measure has been introduced for some 21 million people.
More than 40 countries around the world have issued emergency travel bans, and France has even banned the entry of trucks, leading to a halt in sea and land transport between the UK and France, and a major impact on goods logistics, which has once again triggered a rush to buy goods in UK supermarkets. Britain and France are carrying out urgent consultations on this.
The World Health Organization believes that the virus variant is a “normal phenomenon”, there is no need to be overly alarmed. And the former director of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Gottlieb (Scott Gottlieb) said that the variant of the virus found in the United Kingdom “has emerged in the United States. He predicted that the Communist pneumonia outbreak in the United States would continue to spread over the next three to four weeks until the peak of the epidemic.
In addition to the UK, the variant has also emerged in European countries such as Denmark, the Netherlands, Australia and Italy, and some scientists have already pointed out that the virus may spread worldwide and become the main strain of CCP virus worldwide.
A rare case has emerged in Japan – a patient has been infected with both influenza and CCP pneumonia. And after a cluster of CCP virus infections in Avalon, on Sydney’s northern coast, last week, the rest of Australia imposed border restrictions on Sydney and the state of New South Wales of which it is a part, for safety reasons.
Here is an immediate update on the virus
Fauci: U.S. may also have British variant of virus
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the chief U.S. virus expert, said Monday that a new variant of the Chinese Communist Party virus in the United Kingdom has likely appeared in the United States.
He told the media, “When (virus variants) are so prevalent in places like the U.K., and have been found in South Africa, I wouldn’t be surprised if the virus has emerged in the U.S., given the current travel around the world.”
He added that of course U.S. variants of the virus are not yet as common as those in the U.K., but “if we’re looking for it now, we’re going to find it sooner or later.”
Former FDA chief: UK variant of virus may have appeared in US
Scott Gottlieb, former director of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), said he believes a variant of the virus found in the United Kingdom may now be present in the United States.
In an interview with CNBC on Monday (21), Gottlieb said that the variant of the virus found in the United Kingdom has spread to many countries, and he believes that even if the United States implements a travel ban on all British flights, it will not be able to stop the variant from entering the United States.
Gottlieb believes that the Chinese Communist virus found in the United Kingdom “has already appeared in the United States. He predicted that the outbreak of pneumonia in the United States will continue to spread over the next three to four weeks until the peak of the epidemic.
European leaders begin self-imposed quarantine
After French President Emmanuel Macron tested positive for the Chinese Communist virus, Slovak Prime Minister Vladimir Matovic, who attended the EU summit with him last week, later said he had also tested positive for the virus.
Some of the other European leaders who attended the summit included those of Belgium, Spain, Portugal and Luxembourg. All of these leaders have now also said they will begin voluntary self-isolation at home.
European countries are also stepping up precautionary measures, with Sweden, which has never had a lockdown, recommending that people wear masks on public transportation and reducing the number of people allowed to eat in restaurants from the previous maximum of eight to a maximum of four at a table, and banning the sale of alcoholic beverages after 8 p.m.
China’s attempt at “vaccine diplomacy” lags behind?
Less than a year after the Communist pneumonia epidemic emerged in the United States, two vaccines have already received authoritative approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The U.S. government recently plans to order billions of doses of the vaccine in an effort to reach universal coverage and free vaccination for all by next June.
In contrast, the Chinese Communist Party, which has claimed to be “winning the global vaccine race” and even engaged in “vaccine diplomacy,” still has an unclear vaccination program, and its reliability and effectiveness have not been recognized by international standards.
Mainland media outlet China News Weekly said on Dec. 11 that even according to the CCP’s Health Care Commission’s estimates – the annual production capacity of domestic vaccines will reach 610 million doses by the end of the year and 1 billion doses next year – even if all of them are used for domestic vaccination, there will only be enough for 805 million people to be vaccinated by the end of next year, accounting for only a fraction of the population. This represents only 58 percent of the population.
In addition, media reports that Communist Party health officials claim that China will vaccinate 50 million people with the new crown vaccine by the New Year have been questioned by many public health experts. They argue that it is difficult to guarantee the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine without completing phase III clinical trials.
While many Western countries have decided to provide free vaccination for their citizens, the Chinese Communist Party has yet to make an official commitment, and in some areas there are even high fees for “emergency vaccination.
WHO: Virus mutation is normal, no need to worry too much
The World Health Organization (WHO) says the highly contagious variant of the virus that has emerged in the United Kingdom is part of the evolution of the outbreak and is not cause for undue concern.
Mike Ryan, executive director of WHO’s public health emergency program, said at an online briefing, “We have to find a balance, transparency is important, it’s important to explain to the public what’s going on, but it’s equally important to clearly explain that this is a natural process of virus evolution.”
Lane noted that countries introduced travel bans to the U.K. out of extreme caution, “out of an abundance of caution, and more importantly, everyone has to be cognizant that virus mutations just happen.”
WHO officials also said that the variants of the new coronavirus that have emerged in the U.K. so far have mutated more slowly than the influenza virus and have not spread as much as the mumps.
European Medicines Agency approves Pfizer vaccine
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said the Pfizer-BioNTech CCLV vaccine developed in Germany is safe and effective in preventing infection, paving the way for EU regulators to formally approve its use this week.
EMA expects that procedural and logistical problems will mean that some countries will not be able to start vaccinating until Dec. 29 at the earliest.
Urgent consultations between UK and France on temporary closure of shipping routes
France closed its cross-Channel freight corridor on Sunday over concerns about a new variant of the virus in Britain, which cuts off Britain’s main freight route to Europe, ports that had been handling up to 10,000 truckloads of cargo per day, closing the corridor and leaving thousands of truckers stranded on both sides of the English Channel.
Eurotunnel, which operates the rail tunnel between Britain and France, has also called a halt to all freight and passenger services. This is adding insult to injury for Britain, which is already struggling to cope with higher passenger and freight traffic over the Christmas period, while also facing the prospect of leaving the EU customs union on Jan. 1.
London and Paris are holding emergency talks to end trade disruptions caused by the closure of the Channel freight passage. Prime Minister Johnson said the delays would only occur in Dover, affecting 20 percent of Britain’s food supply from and to mainland Europe.
Last two London flights arrive after Hong Kong flight ban
To prevent the spread of a variant of the Chinese pneumonia virus in Hong Kong, the Hong Kong government has banned British flights from arriving in Hong Kong since Dec. 22, but two flights from London can still arrive on the morning of the 22nd.
It is reported that in the “ban on flights” before the deadline in the British airport to complete the check-in procedures, flights can still take off to Hong Kong, so this morning there are still the last two British passenger flights to Hong Kong.
According to flight information, Virgin Atlantic flight VS636 and Cathay Pacific flight CX252 arrived in Hong Kong at 6:33 a.m. and 6:38 a.m. today. The crew will be tested for the virus upon arrival.
Border restrictions imposed across Australia to prevent the spread of new outbreaks in Sydney
Last week, a cluster of CCP virus infections was reported in Avalon, an affluent suburb on Sydney’s northern coast, with a total of 83 cases as of the 21st. For safety reasons, all Australian states and territories have imposed border restrictions on Sydney and the state of New South Wales to which it belongs.
Australia’s states and territories have disrupted people’s Christmas travel plans after imposing border restrictions on Sydney, a city of more than 5 million people. Dozens of domestic flights to and from Sydney were cancelled yesterday, including the busiest route between Sydney and Melbourne.
The states of Tasmania, Queensland, Victoria and South Australia banned people from Sydney and surrounding areas, while Western Australia banned all departures from New South Wales. States and territories are also warning state residents who have been away to return as soon as possible to avoid mandatory quarantine.
South Korea to decide whether to raise epidemic level for fifth straight day
The South Korean government said Tuesday that it is closely monitoring the trend of the outbreak and will decide by the end of the week whether to extend or raise the level of the epidemic response.
In addition, the government stressed that measures to ban gatherings of more than five people will continue until Jan. 3 next year. These targeted measures, which are as strong or stricter than the Level 3 response, are aimed at curbing the spread of the virus from various events at the end of the year.
The Korean government has previously stressed that the highest level of prevention and control may bring a huge impact on the Korean economy and society, so it is striving to control the epidemic at the current level without raising the level of response to the epidemic, and expects the public to participate in The prevention of the epidemic with one heart.
Rare case in Japan: Influenza and Chinese Communist pneumonia at the same time
The Yomiuri Shimbun reports that a patient in Japan was first diagnosed with influenza and then, after being screened for the virus, was confirmed to be infected with the Chinese communist virus (COVID-19). Cases of simultaneous infection with two different viruses are quite rare.
This patient is 59-year-old city council president Takeshi Yoshida. Yoshida developed fever symptoms on the 17th and was diagnosed with influenza; he was also screened together with the 2019 coronavirus at that time and was confirmed positive on the 18th, and has now been placed in a hotel for convalescence.
Saitama prefectural government infectious disease nursing staff said that because different viruses can appear to intervene, when infected with one virus, it is not easy to re-infect another virus, “as far as cases are concerned quite rare.”
What does the UK’s Level 4 control mean?
A signboard inside the station reminds people to keep a social distance at Waterloo station in London, England, Dec. 20, 2020. (Peter Summers/Getty Images)
British Prime Minister Johnson has decided to cancel his original plan to ease restrictions in most parts of England over the Christmas period, announcing a further fourth level of strict control against the epidemic. From midnight on Dec. 19, parts of London, the east and southeast of England will be placed under “Level 4 control.
The government will issue a “home quarantine order” to residents in Level 4 areas, with exemptions only for those who need to work or go to school for education, and advises people not to travel into areas where Level 4 controls are in place.
Socializing with others outdoors is also limited to meeting with another person in an open public space, and people are not allowed to spend time indoors with anyone other than family members.
All non-essential retail stores in the above areas were forced to close, including barber stores, manicure and beauty stores, indoor gyms and recreational facilities.
List of countries’ preparedness against variola virus
United States
The United States has not yet imposed travel restrictions on the United Kingdom. A statement from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said, “The situation is being closely monitored and is actively evaluating the new variant of the virus and whether to place restrictions on international travel.”
Argentina
After a flight from the United Kingdom landed at Buenos Aires International Airport Monday morning, the rest of the flights were canceled, according to a joint statement issued Sunday by Argentina’s health and interior ministries.
Belgium.
Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said Sunday morning that British travelers were banned from entering the country as of Monday because the variant of the virus has emerged in Belgium.
Bulgaria
The country’s Prime Minister Boyko Borissov decided at a cabinet meeting on Sunday to temporarily suspend air travel between Bulgaria and the United Kingdom between January and January 31, 2021.
Canada
Starting at midnight Sunday, Canada will ban most travelers from the United Kingdom for at least 72 hours. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau confirmed the news in a tweet Sunday night, saying he was “protecting” Canadians.
Chile
The Chilean government announced that all flights to and from the U.K. will be suspended from Tuesday and that travelers who have been in the U.K. for the past 14 days will have to quarantine themselves.
Colombia
Colombian President Ivan Duque announced that all flights between Colombia and the United Kingdom will be suspended starting Monday, telling reporters that travelers from the U.K. over the past 14 days will have to quarantine themselves upon arrival.
Czech Republic
The Czech government said in a statement Monday that flights from the U.K. were halted starting at 6 a.m. ET Monday.
Denmark
Denmark has temporarily banned air travel from the U.K. for 48 hours. Transport Minister Benny Engelbrecht said Denmark is in a “very serious situation” with a large number of infections across the country.
El Salvador
El Salvador has banned anyone from entering the country from the United Kingdom and South Africa.
Estonia
The Estonian government announced Sunday that air traffic between Estonia and the United Kingdom is suspended, with the ban effective from midnight Sunday until the end of the year.
France
French Prime Minister Jean Castex announced a ban on travelers from the United Kingdom entering France for 48 hours starting Sunday night, which includes all modes of transportation.
Germany
The German government has restricted travel to and from the UK and South Africa.
Hong Kong
Starting Tuesday, Hong Kong will ban all passengers who have been in the UK for more than two hours in the last 14 days.
India
Flights between India and the United Kingdom will be suspended until the end of 2020, India’s civil aviation ministry said Monday. Passengers arriving in India from the U.K. by Dec. 22 must be tested.
Iran
Iran announced Sunday a two-week suspension of flights to and from the United Kingdom.
Israel
The Israeli government has banned flights from the United Kingdom, Denmark and South Africa.
Italy
Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio announced Sunday the suspension of flights between Italy and the United Kingdom.
Jordan
A statement from Jordanian government spokesman and Media Affairs Minister Ali Al-Ayed said the government has decided to ban all direct and indirect (transit) passenger flights from the United Kingdom starting Monday until January 3, 2021.
Kuwait
Kuwait has suspended flights arriving from the UK from Monday.
Latvia
Latvia has suspended travel to and from the United Kingdom from Dec. 21 to Jan. 1, the Latvian Ministry of Transport announced Sunday.
Lithuania
Flights from the United Kingdom will be suspended, Lithuania’s prime minister tweeted.
Luxembourg
The government said in a statement Sunday that flights from the U.K. are temporarily suspended.
Morocco
The Moroccan state news agency (MAP) reported that Morocco suspended flights to and from the United Kingdom starting Sunday night (Dec. 20).
The Netherlands
The Netherlands will ban all passenger flights from the United Kingdom.
Oman
Oman’s national news agency reports that Oman will close its air, sea and land borders for one week starting Tuesday, December 22.
Pakistan
Pakistan is suspending direct or indirect travel from the UK. According to a statement from Pakistan’s Ministry of Aviation, the suspension of flights will take place from December 23 to 30.
Peru
Peruvian President Francisco Sagasti announced a two-week ban on flights from Europe entering the country. He also announced a ban on people who have stayed in the UK for the past two weeks from entering Peru.
Ireland
The country’s government announced Sunday that Ireland will ban flights from the United Kingdom on Monday and Tuesday.
Russia
Russia’s state-run news agency RIA Novosti reports that flights to and from the United Kingdom will be suspended for one week starting at midnight on Dec. 22.
Spain
Spain announced Monday afternoon that the Spanish government will work with Portugal to deny entry to travelers from the United Kingdom. Spain also announced that it will tighten border controls in Gibraltar.
Sweden
Sweden’s foreign minister said Sunday that travel into the country from the United Kingdom is prohibited.
Switzerland
Switzerland has issued a general entry ban on foreigners entering from the U.K. or South Africa and has imposed a retroactive quarantine following the discovery of new, more contagious viruses in the U.K. and South Africa.
Tunisia
Tunisia has announced the suspension of flights to and from the United Kingdom, Australia and South Africa. Travelers who have recently lived in or passed through these countries will be banned from entering Tunisia. The ban will take effect on Monday, with notice of when it will expire.
Turkey
Turkish media reported late in the evening that the country has banned flights from the United Kingdom, South Africa, the Netherlands and Denmark.
Ecuador
The country’s president, Lenin Moreno, announced that travelers from the U.K., Australia, South Africa and the European Union will need to show negative PCR test results 10 days before arriving in the country and must also undergo antibody testing available at international airports.
Greece.
Greece’s civil defense department announced Sunday the start of a seven-day quarantine for all travelers arriving from the United Kingdom, beginning Monday.
Portugal
Portugal has imposed restrictions on flights departing from the United Kingdom. According to the Portuguese Interior Minister, only Portuguese nationals can travel and they must be tested negative for Covid-19.
Dominica
The Dominican Republic will suspend all “air operations” with the United Kingdom from Monday until Jan. 10, according to a statement released Monday by the country’s aviation authority.
Guatemala
The country’s health authorities announced Monday that travelers who have visited the United Kingdom or any country associated with the new variant in the past 14 days are barred from entering the country. The health minister said further details of the new restrictions on British travelers will be announced Wednesday.
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