The discovery of a new “out of control” variant of the coronavirus in the United Kingdom prompted Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands on Sunday to suspend their flights with this country, further increasing concern in Europe where several countries are preparing to celebrate Christmas under severe restrictions.
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The Europeans were working together to find an answer to this new variant, while Italy was completely reconfigured and other countries in Europe were toughening the measures taken to contain the third wave of the threatening pandemic.
The new strain is “out of control”, recognized Sunday the British Minister of Health, Matt Hancock, justifying a reconfinement of London and part of England. “It will be very difficult to keep it under control until a vaccine is deployed.”
French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, President of the European Commission Ursula Von der Leyen and President of the European Council Charles Michel spoke on Sunday to discuss this new variant of the coronavirus.
The lack of coordination within the EU led Spain to demand a common response, calling for the avoidance of “unilateral measures”.
The Dutch government suspended, from Sunday morning until January 1, all passenger flights from the United Kingdom.
Belgium, meanwhile, suspends flights and trains from the United Kingdom from Sunday midnight (23:00 GMT).
Italy will also suspend flights with the UK, Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said.
As for Germany, it is “seriously” considering a suspension of flights from the United Kingdom and South Africa after the discovery of variants of Covid-19 in these two countries, a source told AFP on Sunday. government, and Austria “wants to impose it” on Great Britain.
” No proof “
The World Health Organization (WHO) called on Europeans to “strengthen their controls” because of the new variant circulating in the United Kingdom, its European branch told AFP on Sunday.
Outside British territory, a handful of cases have been reported in Denmark (9), as well as a case in the Netherlands and Australia according to the WHO, which recommends that its members at the global level “increase their ( de) sequencing “the virus before learning more about the risks posed by the variant, according to a spokesperson.
According to the WHO, in addition to “preliminary signs that the variant could be more contagious”, the British variant “could also affect the effectiveness of certain diagnostic methods”.
However, there is “no evidence of a change in the severity of the disease” at this stage.
Such disruption to air and rail traffic, if continued, could exacerbate Brexit-related transport problems, with the UK leaving the EU’s single market on December 31, which guarantees free movement within its borders. borders.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, whose country is one of the most bereaved in Europe with more than 67,000 dead, said on Saturday that the virus circulating in London and in the south-east of England is up to 70 per hundred more contagious than the previous strain.
In order to curb this mutant version, more than 16 million Londoners and inhabitants of the south-east of England woke up on Sunday under new confinement, forced to put an end to Christmas.
“Christmas in January”
On Sunday, Oxford Street, the busiest shopping artery in central London, usually bustling with activity, was deserted again, nearly three weeks after the release of a second lockdown in England.
“If it’s necessary, so be it,” confided, resignedly, Liz Field, a 73-year-old retiree. “We can celebrate (Christmas) in January, February”.
Italy which, along with the United Kingdom, is the country in Europe hardest hit by the pandemic with more than 68,000 dead, will be classified “red” and reconfine itself for the holidays from Monday.
“Our experts fear that the contagion curve will increase during the Christmas period”, explained the head of government Giuseppe Conte, stressing that Italians will have the right to go out to participate in a family meal in limited numbers.
Switzerland on Saturday became the first country in continental Europe to authorize a vaccine against Covid-19, that of Pfizer / BioNTech.
A decision taken after the green light given to the same vaccine by more than 15 other countries, including the United States, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, United Kingdom, Jordan, Singapore and Mexico.