Travel Restrictions Multiply for African Countries over Fears of a New Variant

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Countries around the world moved to restrict travel from southern Africa on Friday in a frantic effort to keep a newly identified, and apparently significantly evolved, variant of the coronavirus from crossing their borders.

The European Commission proposed that its members activate the “emergency brake” on travel from countries in southern African and other countries affected to limit the spread of the new variant.

“All air travel to these countries should be suspended until we have a clear understanding about the danger posed by this new variant,” Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Union’s executive arm, said in a statement. “And travelers returning from this region should respect strict quarantine rules.”

In the past, governments have taken days, weeks or months to issue travel restrictions in response to new variants. This time, restrictions came within hours of South Africa’s announcement — at least 10 countries around the world had announced measures before South African scientists had finished a meeting with World Health Organization experts about the variant on Friday. » | Jason Horowitz, Lynsey Chutel and Mike Ives | Friday, November 26, 2021

Covid-19 en Europe : un premier cas du nouveau variant détecté en Belgique : La Belgique est le premier pays européen à détecter un cas du variant B.1.1.529. Le patient contaminé est revenu d'Égypte le 11 novembre dernier. »

Cuba Nervous of Trump's Travel Restrictions

New Law Eases Travel Restrictions on Cubans
For decades, Cuba has been derided by human rights advocates as a "prison island" because of its tough travel restrictions. But a new set of reforms will make it easier for Cubans to leave the country. Al Jazeera's Adam Raney reports from Havana.