Thread by @AFP

#BREAKING EU to propose banning flights from southern Africa over Covid variant: von der Leyen

#BREAKING Germany to ban most travel from S.Africa over new Covid variant: minister

#UPDATE EU will propose ban on travel from southern Africa after discovery of new Covid-19 variant scientists fear could torpedo efforts to beat pandemic, EU chief says, as German acting Health Minister says Germany will ban most travel from South Africa

#BREAKING Italy bans visitors from southern Africa over new Covid variant

#UPDATE Italy says it is banning entry to those who have been in South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia or Swaziland in the past fortnight due to fears over a new coronavirus variant

#UPDATE Israel has identified a case of a #COVID19 variant with a large number of mutations first detected in South Africa, the health ministry said Friday
u.afp.com/ww2d

#BREAKING WHO says will take several weeks to understand new variant

#BREAKING BioNTech/Pfizer expect data on vaccine variant impact 'within 2 weeks'

#UPDATE The World Health Organization says it will take "a few weeks" for researchers to understand the impact of the new Covid-19 variant B.1.1.529 detected in South Africa

#BREAKING WHO cautions against travel restrictions over new variant

#UPDATE The World Health Organization has cautioned against imposing new travel restrictions over the new Covid-19 variant B.1.1.529

#UPDATE Germany's BioNTech says it is studying how well the coronavirus vaccine it developed with Pfizer protects against the new B.1.1.529 variant detected in South Africa

#BREAKING Belgium minister announces first case of new Covid-19 variant in Europe

#UPDATE Belgium says it has detected the first announced case in Europe of the new Covid-19 variant, in an unvaccinated person returning from abroad

#BREAKING 'All air travel' between EU and countries with new Covid variant should be suspended: von der Leyen

#UPDATE The EU proposed member states stop all flights to and from southern Africa following the discovery of a new Covid-19 variant that scientists fear could beat vaccinations, EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said on Friday

#BREAKING 'Premature' to know if new Covid variant needs updated vaccines: EMA

#UPDATE The EU's drug regulator says it is closely monitoring the new B.1.1.529 Covid-19 variant but it was "premature" to tell if updated vaccines would be needed to fight it