The emergence of a new strain of coronavirus in the United Kingdom has caused panic around the world, causing a dozen capitals to cancel flights with the country, which has been isolated.
However, the World Health Organization tried to send a reassuring message on Monday, stating that the new strain of the virus “is not out of control”.
“We recorded a DR (virus reproduction rate) much higher than 1.5 at different times of this pandemic and we controlled it. This situation, in this sense, is not out of control “, said the head of WHO health emergencies, Michael Ryan, in a press conference.
His statements contrast with those of British Health Minister Matt Hancock, who on Sunday claimed that “the new coronavirus strain is out of control”.
Vaccine distribution
While this new strain has raised concerns about the growing number of covid-19 cases, the European Commission announced yesterday that it is authorizing the distribution of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in the EU. A few hours earlier, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) had given the green light for its emergency use.
“The European Medicines Agency has thoroughly evaluated this vaccine and concluded that it is safe and effective against covid-19. According to this scientific assessment, it has been authorized on the European Union market “, said the President of the Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen. The mutation caused the closure of many countries’ borders with the United Kingdom less than two weeks before the country’s exit from the European single market. The move has wreaked havoc in ports, especially in Dover, as worries rise over the supply of fresh produce, such as fruit and vegetables, in the week leading up to Christmas.
The port of Dover, which mainly serves France, has announced the closure of outbound traffic. Several countries, including France and Canada, decided on Sunday to suspend all travel in Britain for a few days. Sweden has also announced the closure of its borders with Denmark, where cases of a new variant of coronavirus have been detected.