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Due to the new strain of the virus, at least 40 countries, including Romania, have so far closed their borders to passengers arriving by air or sea from the UK.
Considered much more contagious, the mutation has already been detected in other countries: Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands and Australia. In these circumstances, the European Union could present a joint response on new rules on Tuesday. Measures discussed include negative PCR testing or mandatory quarantine on arrival in the UK.
The COVID-19 crisis facing the British government has dramatically escalated. With the spread of the virus in the new version, but also with the chaos in Dover and other ports in the English Channel, after France banned the transport of goods and people from Great Britain.
Truck lines stretched for miles to Dover. Trapped there, hundreds of drivers from mainland Europe can’t get home a few days before Christmas.
“I sleep here in the cabin, a meter 20 by a meter 20” says one of them.
Driver: “It’s very frustrating. I have family in Germany. Christmas is two days away and I want to go back. I want a home. But no one can help us.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson It says it is working directly with President Macron to overcome the deadlock and hopes for a solution “as soon as possible.”
Approximately 10,000 trucks pass through the port of Dover on a typical day and carry 20% of Britain’s freight trade.
Patrick Vallance, scientific consultant: “I think the risk is greatest that the new strain will increase the number of infections across the country and I think that new restrictions need to be imposed in some places at the right time, not removed.”
Due to the rapid spread of new variants of the virus, more contagious by up to 70%, according to British officials, London and the south-east of England have entered level four restrictions, practically again in quarantine.
The SARS-VOC-2 mutation, discovered since September, However, it does NOT seem more lethal than other variants of the virus, but it is much more contagious and has caused more than 60% of new COVID illnesses. Many of these are serious enough to send patients to hospitals.
Virologists think the vaccine will work on the new mutation too
Dr. Julian Tang, professor of virology at the University of Leicester: “I think the vaccine will work. But the problem with the virus is that it is spreading so fast that we may not be able to vaccinate the vulnerable population, the elderly, in time, before they become infected. So that’s a big concern. “
With the new mutation in the virus, British specialists warn, children are as prone to infection as adults, unlike previous strains.
Neil Ferguson, Epidemiologist, Imperial College: “We found, over a period of 5 to 6 weeks, that the rate of infection with the new strain in children under 15 years of age is high, a statistically significant increase. “
Meanwhile, the international alarm caused by the new variant of the virus is mounting. And the US authorities believe that the new mutation has also arrived here.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Infectious Diseases and Allergies: “With travel around the world, I wouldn’t be surprised if it was already here (in the US). When we start looking for it, we will find it. It is certainly not the predominant strain, as it already appears to be in the UK, but we will look for it here as well “.
More than 40 countries in Europe, but also on other continents, have imposed travel restrictions from the UK. However, this may be a late step, as the new strain has been spreading for several months.
