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NEW VARIANT OF COVID DISCOVERED, WHO: DO NOT IMMEDIATELY LIMIT TRAVEL

THE WORLD Health Organization (WHO) on Friday (11/26) warned countries not to rush into implementing travel restrictions after a new variant of the coronavirus B11529 was discovered. The WHO said they should take a ‘risk and science-based approach’.

“At this point, travel restrictions must be exercised with caution,” WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier told a UN news conference in Geneva. “WHO calls on countries to continue to adopt a science-based, risk-based approach when implementing travel-restrictive measures.”

He explained that the WHO on Friday held a meeting of experts to evaluate the status of the new variant and would share further guidance on actions countries could take. It could take weeks to understand the impact of the new variant.

Researchers, Lindmeier said, are working to determine how quickly it transmits and how that variant will affect COVID-19 treatments and vaccines. [antaranews/photo special]