Europe, Israel, Japan, and the United States are in a hurry to prevent the landing of Omicron
▲ Royal Dutch KLM arrived on the runway at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, the Netherlands before announcing that it would suspend all flights from southern Africa from noon on the 26th (local time) in order to prevent the landing of the newly discovered Corona 19 micron mutation in South Africa. Passengers on Flight 598 are sitting in their seats without getting off for at least four hours.
Amsterdam AP Yonhap News
Passengers aboard Royal Dutch KLM Airlines’ two flights from Cape Town and Johannesburg to Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, were trapped without disembarking for at least four hours.
Passengers on one of them got off the plane around 3 am (Korean time) on the 27th after four hours and went to a shuttle bus to be tested for the virus, Business Insider reported. The disturbance comes after the Dutch government announced that it would temporarily suspend flights from southern Africa from noon on the 26th (local time) to prevent the spread of the newly discovered corona 19 mutation in South Africa.
Dutch Health Minister Hwiho der Yonger said that from noon today, flights from all countries in southern Africa will be suspended. He added that people on the move will also have to go into quarantine as soon as they arrive at Schiphol Airport, but it seems likely that these virus tests and preparations took time to get off the plane.
European countries are nervous about the appearance of a new mutation ‘Omicron’ and are hastily locking the door to South Africa, which was designated as the source. Slovenia, the European Union’s touring presidency in the second half of this year, said on Twitter that a 27-member health expert committee had “agreed to invoke an ’emergency brake’ measure and temporarily restrict entry into the EU from South Africa.” Seven countries are South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe.
The UK, Germany, Italy, Czech Republic, Netherlands, Spain, Austria, Switzerland and Russia have announced measures such as blocking flights from South Africa and neighboring countries, bans on entry of non-nationals, and quarantine. Asian countries such as Singapore and Japan, the Middle East such as Israel and Saudi Arabia, and American countries such as the United States and Canada have also begun to control their borders one after another.
Belgium, where a mutation patient was confirmed for the first time in Europe on that day, announced additional quarantine measures to close nightclubs for three weeks from the 27th and to restrict restaurants, bars, Christmas markets and cultural facilities to open until 11pm.
The ‘Omicron’ came to light when scientists in South Africa reported the discovery of a new mutation that caused 32 genetic mutations in the spike protein. It was first discovered in Botswana, Africa, and is spreading in South Africa. After Hong Kong, it was confirmed in Israel and Belgium on the same day.
The Belgian ‘Omicron’ patient was a young woman who returned on the 11th after traveling to Egypt via Turkey and was confirmed 11 days later with flu-like symptoms. The first confirmed case of ‘Omicron’ in Hong Kong was also a traveler from South Africa. However, a person who arrived from Canada was also quarantined in a room opposite the same hotel and became infected after a while, raising the possibility of a secondary infection.
South Africa opposes the entry ban even before the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation is issued, saying it is “ hasty”. The World Health Organization (WHO) named it ‘Omicron’ by adding the 15th letter of the Greek alphabet to the new mutation called B.1.1.529. In addition, it was classified as a ‘variant of concern’ and explained that “according to preliminary evidence, the risk of reinfection appears to be increased compared to other mutations.”
Already ahead of winter, countries around the world, including European countries suffering from the rapid spread of COVID-19, were astonished. Global stock markets celebrated ‘Black Friday’ today. On the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), the Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged 2.53%, the biggest drop since October 28 last year, and European stocks also plunged more than 4%. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) also fell more than 10%.
The international community is of the view that border controls should buy at least some time until the results of analysis on the new mutation are available. The WHO said it would take “a few weeks” to analyze the new mutation. . If necessary, the vaccine can be redesigned within six weeks and initial batches can be shipped within 100 days.
Byeong-seon Lim, Executive Director, Peace Research Institute bsnim@seoul.co.kr
