Topline
Cases of the new Covid-19 variant omicron were reported in Australia and the Netherlands on Sunday, while the United Kingdom detected a third case — the latest countries to confirm the presence of the new form of coronavirus as the case count continues to grow across the globe.
Passengers are tested for Covid-19 at a pre-departure area at Sydney International Airport on Nov. ... [+]
Key Facts
The Dutch health authority said 13 people who had flown into Amsterdam on Friday from South Africa — where omicron was first detected — tested positive for the variant, while Australia and Denmark have also reported two cases each, according to Reuters.
They join a growing list of nations that have recorded the presence of omicron, including Botswana, Belgium, Germany, Israel, Italy, Hong Kong and the Czech Republic.
A number of countries and regions have initiated travel bans from southern Africa in response to the emergence of omicron, including Canada and the European Union (U.S. restrictions announced by the Biden administration will take effect Monday).
South African authorities have in turn complained the country is being “punished” rather than “applauded” for detecting omicron, and the travel curbs are “akin to punishing South Africa for its advanced genomic sequencing and the ability to detect new variants quicker.”
The World Health Organization sided with the southern African nations in question, and released a statement Sunday calling for international borders to remain open and commending the governments of South Africa and Botswana for their “speed and transparency” in identifying omicron.
It comes as Botswana’s health minister announced 15 news cases of the variant in addition to the four already confirmed.
Chief Critic
“These travel bans are based in politics, and not in science. It is wrong,” the African Union’s vaccine delivery alliance co-chair Ayoade Alakija told the BBC. “Why are we locking away Africa when this virus is already on three continents?”
Key Background
The WHO has said omicron is “of concern” and that early evidence points to an increased reinfection risk. The WHO emphasized that more research will be required to determine whether omicron is more contagious than other variants, and whether or not vaccines are effective against it.
What We Don’t Know
Dr. Francis S. Collins, Director of the National Institutes of Health, told Fox News Sunday it is too early to know if symptoms from the new variant are mild, but that omicron has a record number of mutations. He added on CNN that it could take weeks to figure out whether vaccines are effective against it.
What To Watch For
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said Sunday it is a matter of when, not if, omicron emerges in the U.S. “If and when, and it’s going to be when, it comes here, hopefully we will be ready for it by enhancing our capabilities via vaccine, masking — all the things that we do, and should be doing,” he said on This Week.
Further Reading
“Fauci: Omicron variant will ‘inevitably’ be found in U.S.” (Axios)
“Thirteen cases detected in Netherlands as Omicron variant spreads” (Reuters)
“Omicron Spreads In Europe, With Cases Identified In Germany, Italy And UK” (Forbes)
“Biden Limits Travel From Southern African Countries Amid Fears Of New ‘Omicron’ Coronavirus Variant” (Forbes)
“Covid: South Africa ‘punished’ for detecting new Omicron variant” (BBC News)
“What We Do and Don’t Know About the Omicron (B.1.1.529) Variant” (New York)