|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Israel became the first country in the world to close its borders to foreign travelers due to the newly detected variant of COVID named as Omicron.Shortly afterwards, Japan followed suit and banned foreign travelers from entering the country.
A number of countries have reported confirmed or suspected cases of the Omicron, the new variant of COVID-19. The new variant has already been discovered in Australia, Botswana, Britain, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands and Scotland.
Israel not only banned the entry of foreigners, but also made quarantine for all Israelis arriving from abroad. Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said: “Restrictions on the country’s borders are not an easy step, but they are a temporary and necessary step.”
The Japanese government has also said it will close its borders to foreigners amid increasing cases of the Coronavirus Omicron variant. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has said he is ready to accept criticism because he is too cautious.
He told reporters: “These are temporary, exceptional measures that we are taking for safety, until there is clearer information about the Omicron variant.”
A number of countries have already restricted or banned travel from various Southern African countries. Recently, authorities in Sydney, Australia, found two foreign travelers Africa Omicron positive. Those coming from African countries will also have to be quarantined on arrival at a hotel.
The World Health Organization, which advised its 194 member states, said: “The overall global risk associated with the new variant of concern Omicron is rated as very high.”
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the United States’ expert on infectious diseases, said: “We have not detected it yet, but if you have a virus that shows this degree of transmissibility … it will almost always go away in the end. ”
The UK has also made the wearing of masks compulsory for all. Spain, on the other hand, has also announced a ban on unvaccinated visitors from Britain from 1 December.