EU eases bans over UK virus strain as WHO eyes response

London (AFP) – Europe on Wednesday began easing travel bans on Britain put in place to contain a new strain of Covid-19 that UK officials believe spreads faster as WHO experts met to discuss a response to the variant.

The discovery of the new strain set off alarm bells worldwide just as more countries including Switzerland and Qatar began vaccine campaigns to halt a pandemic that has claimed more than 1.7 million lives since it began a year ago in China.

The European Commission has urged EU nations to reopen their borders to Britain and replace the blockades with mandatory tests for arrivals.

Thanks to France’s relaxation of a 48-hour blockade, stranded lorry drivers in the UK were finally offered a way home after thousands were stuck around the port of Dover for days.

Under France’s new rules, EU nationals and residents are allowed home with a negative Covid test, though Britons remain barred.

But given the back-up, some truckers feared there was little chance of making it across the Channel in time for the holidays, and clashes broke out with police as tensions boiled over.

“Home for Christmas? Forget it,” said Laurent Beghin, a French trucker who delivered a cargo of paint to the UK on Sunday and was still stuck in England on Wednesday.

Drivers pushed against police, shouting, during the scuffles as they complained of inadequate facilities and a lack of virus tests at a lorry park where they were forced to wait.

Passengers with negative virus tests on Wednesday also boarded the first Eurostar trains from London to France since border closures, eager to spend Christmas with their families.

The Netherlands said it was lifting its travel ban on the UK Wednesday but noted that all passengers, including EU citizens, must have a recent negative test to enter.

Scientists are still trying to forge a plan to control the Covid-19’s various strains, with Europe’s branch of the World Health Organization meeting Wednesday.

WHO’s Europe director Hans Kluge wrote on Twitter that the organisation would “discuss strategies for testing, reducing transmission & communicating risks”.

He added that “limiting travel to contain spread is prudent until we have better info”.

The new strain of the virus, which has also been detected in small numbers elsewhere, appears to spread more easily than other types but experts say there is no evidence it is more lethal or resistant to vaccines.

Britain on Wednesday introduced restrictions on travel from South Africa over the spread of another new variant of coronavirus, UK Health Minister Matt Hancock said.

– Swiss vaccination –

Canada on Wednesday also approved the Covid-19 vaccine developed by American biotech firm Moderna, two weeks after authorising immunisations with the Pfizer/BioNTech shot.

As the European Union prepares to kick off vaccinations across the bloc on Sunday, Switzerland got a head start Wednesday by delivering its first jabs in the Lucerne region.

A care home resident in her 90s was the first to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine after it was approved by Swiss regulators.

Qatar and Dubai also gave out their first jab Wednesday, while Serbia and hard-hit Mexico are next in line with plans start vaccinations on Thursday.

The co-founder of BioNTech has assured the firm’s vaccine is “highly likely” to work against the mutated strain detected in Britain.

And if not, the vaccine could be adapted in six weeks, Ugur Sahin said, adding that tests are already being run on the variant.

In the US, the world’s worst-affected country, top infectious disease specialist Anthony Fauci received his Covid-19 jab as officials continued to seek to build public confidence.

But President Donald Trump’s shock rejection of a $900 billion relief package passed by Congress raised concern.

Trump said he would refuse to accept the bill as it is and demanded changes, notably a big increase in the proposed $600 direct payments to less well-off Americans.

Lawmakers can override his veto if he goes through with it.

There was positive news in Australia, where Sydney eased lockdown restrictions for Christmas after the country’s largest city reported a second day of new cases in the single digits.

Egypt, however, called off all New Year’s celebrations in order to stem a rise in cases.

The Czech government also extended its state of emergency and announced tighter restrictions including closing shops in the face of a spike in cases.

And in Thailand, meanwhile, elephants dressed up in Christmas costumes for an annual tradition gave out pandemic-friendly gifts to schoolchildren: baskets of face masks.