March 28, 2024

US lifts embargo on eight South African countries

US lifts embargo on eight South African countries

Passengers at Los Angeles Airport

© 2021 AFP

The USA is lifting the entry ban imposed on several South African countries due to the coronavirus Omicron variant.

The USA is lifting the entry ban imposed on several South African countries due to the coronavirus Omicron variant. The entry ban imposed at the end of November on people arriving from Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Malawi, Namibia, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Eswatini will be lifted on December 31, a White House spokesperson announced Friday in the Twitter SMS service. It is now clear that existing vaccines, especially with the third vaccination, are effective against Omikron.

After the World Health Organization (WHO) classified the variant with the scientific name B.1.1.529, which was first identified in South Africa, as “of concern”, several countries, including Germany and other member states of the European Union, suspended Air traffic with the south. Africa and other countries in the region. This led to sharp criticism from the countries involved, who saw themselves being penalized for their outspoken handling of its findings, and advised the World Health Organization not to ban travel.

US citizens and people with permanent residence in the United States were exempted from the ban.

France Press agency

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