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COVID-19 OMNICROM VARIANT: WHAT WE KNOW TODAY
The Omicron variant which was recently identified in South Africa ahead of any other country was due to their robust surveillance and genomics capability.
South African leaders and the industry at large strongly condemned countries around the world for enacting travel bans on much of Southern Africa without any reliable scientific data.
As we await more scientific facts from the experts, here's what we know for now:
° The travel bans are a cautionary move, allowing scientists the next few weeks to learn more about the transmission of this variant, the severity of any symptoms, and the effectiveness of the existing vaccines and boosters.
° We don't know where Omicron originated, but we know it has been mutating for several months and as of Dec 2, 2021, the variant has been reported in 25 countries.
° Government and health officials continue to strongly encourage Covid-19 vaccines and boosters as the best means of protection.
° The South African doctor who first raised the alarm over the new strain, Dr. Angelique Coetzee, told the BBC that the associated symptoms seen so far have been “extremely mild.”
Travel restrictions are unlikely to be able to stop the spread of coronaviruses unless countries are able to completely seal their borders to travellers from all nations.
While the safety of all concerned must be considered, it is heart-breaking that this has happened to our industry that is grappling to get back on its feet after the past 20 months.
We want to assure you that the Bushtracks team is closely monitoring all information provided by global organizations such as the CDC (Centers of Disease Control), the WHO (World Health Organization), and local governments on this rapidly changing situation.
As we await more scientific facts from the experts, we encourage those who have clients travelling, to not cancel or postpone trips until we know how long travel restrictions are in place.
Please do reach out to us if we can assist you in any way.
Kind regards,
Christopher Tett & the Bushtracks Team
Aerial photo/video service/inquiries: info@traveltonamibia.com
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