Six African countries added to red list to protect public health as UK designates new Variant under Investigation

Six African countries added to red list to protect public health as UK designates new Variant under Investigation The government is taking decisive precautionary action against a new COVID-19 variant by introducing travel restrictions on arrivals from South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe and Namibia from midday Friday 26 November.

It comes as Variant B.1.1.529 is declared a variant under investigation (VuI) by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). Department of Health and Social Care

See also: 

• Coronavirus variant: UK put safety first over Africa travel - Shapps BBC News
• 'More infectious and vaccine resistant' Botswana Covid variant is driving South African surge The Daily Mail
• Public must prepare for change in restrictions in wake of new South African Covid variant, JCVI scientist warns The Daily Telegraph
• South Africa to be put on England’s travel red list over new Covid variant The Guardian
• Parachute in extra vaccine supplies to target new variant, say experts The Independent
• Everything we know about the new Covid variant The Independent
• Covid ‘super variant’ with 32 mutations found with cases in South Africa, Botswana and Hong Kong iNews
• Covid: What do we know about the new southern African variant and should we be worried? ITV News
• Heavily mutated coronavirus variant puts scientists on alert Nature
• What we know so far about AY.4.2 and other new coronavirus variants New Scientist