Europe 1 with AFP 09:26, November 26, 2021
The European Commission has proposed to suspend flights from the southern African region after the news of the discovery of a new variant of Covid-19.
Germany, the United Kingdom and Italy have already taken action against several countries in the region.
The European Commission has proposed to suspend flights from the southern African region due to the discovery of a new variant of Covid-19, its president Ursula von der Leyen announced on Friday.
Germany has already indicated that it will refuse foreign travelers from South Africa, the day after a similar decision from London.
"Activate the brake"
"The European Commission will propose, in close coordination with Member States, to activate the emergency brake to interrupt air travel from the southern African region due to the B.1.1.529 variant," Ursula tweeted von der Leyen.
She did not specify how many countries in southern Africa were concerned. The European executive is due to make a proposal to the representatives of the member states at a meeting scheduled for Friday. It will then be up to the Council (institution representing the Twenty-Seven) to adopt such a recommendation. "The situation is changing very quickly; we want to make sure that we do our best to slow the spread of this variant," said a Commission spokesperson.
Singapore, for its part, will refuse entry to travelers from seven southern African countries from Sunday, except for its citizens and permanent residents.
Italy for its part prohibits the entry of its territory to any person having stayed in southern Africa "during the last 14 days", announced this Friday the Minister of Health Roberto Speranza, invoking "the maximum precaution" vis-a-vis the new variant of Covid.