Germans returning from South Africa, including those who have been vaccinated, will have to undergo 14 days of quarantine.
Berlin:
Germany will declare South Africa a virus variant area on Friday after detecting a new COVID-19 variant there, a health ministry source said.
The decision will take effect from Friday night, meaning airlines will only be allowed to bring Germans to Germany from South Africa, the source said. Returning Germans, including those who have been vaccinated, will then have to undergo a 14-day quarantine.
“This newly discovered variant worries us. That’s why we’re taking action here early and aggressively,” said Health Minister Jens Spahn. “The last thing we need now is a new variant that will cause more problems.”
The variant – known as B.1.1.529 – has a “very unusual constellation”, which is of concern because they may help it evade the body’s immune response, the South African scientists say. making it more contagious, South African scientists say.
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