Covid-19: Can closing borders stop the Omicron variant?
DECRYPTION – The emergence of this “worrying variant” with 32 mutations prompted a strong reaction from the international community. Many countries, including France, limit travel with southern Africa.
The question divides public opinion and the scientific community whenever a variant emerges. Some sneer, citing the Chernobyl cloud which miraculously stops at the border, or denouncing a nationalist withdrawal; the others, on the contrary, see border control as a pragmatic and realistic solution, the effectiveness of which is certainly not absolute, but which makes it possible to limit the damage.
Read alsoNew “worrying” variant: is France capable of detecting it quickly?
It is clear that the partial or total border closure measures, much criticized at the start of the epidemic in March 2020 – the WHO was adamant in asserting their uselessness – have become a solution acclaimed by many countries over the waves. epidemics. With the Omicron variant, discovered Thursday in South Africa, judged “worrying»By the WHO and which has a record number of 32 mutations in its Spike protein, the decisions to limit movements were even faster than for the Alpha variants (appeared in England) and Delta
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