Brazil Maintains Flights from UK, Despite New Virus Mutation

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Brazil is not expected to take any specific action on flights coming from the United Kingdom because of the new Covid mutation, identified in London and Southeast England, according to Brazilian government sources.

Since Sunday, December 20th, a number of countries have been deciding to bar passengers boarding flights from airports in the United Kingdom because of the new Covid variant, which, according to the British government, is 70% more capable of propagating than the original strain. The virus variant binds more easily to human cells.

Brazil is expected to require a PCR test certificate, which detects the presence of the coronavirus in the body a few days after infection, from all passengers landing in the country as of December 30th. Additional measures should not be taken.

In a press conference on Monday, the executive coordinator of the Covid-19 Contingency Center in São Paulo, Carlos Gabbardo, said that the concern with flights coming from the United Kingdom is “extremely important”. However, he stressed that it is up to the federal government to decide on the matter.

A long list of countries has already announced the suspension of flights from the United Kingdom, including Argentina, Chile, Peru, Colombia, Canada, Austria, Germany, Croatia, Italy, Spain, Russia, France, Poland, Norway, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Morocco and India. Some 40 countries have already announced the ban on passengers boarding in the United Kingdom.

Called VUI-202012/01 (variant under investigation), the coronavirus variant initially identified in September in the United Kingdom is responsible for 60% of new Covid cases recorded in London, according to the British government. Over the weekend, Matt Hancock, the country’s Health Secretary, said the new strain is out of control and has directed the population to stay home.

The World Health Organization (W.H.O.) confirmed that this is a new Covid variant. The organization said it was notified of the mutation last week. Another infectious mutation has been detected in South Africa.

Variants were already expected, given that they are part of the virus’ evolutionary behavior. The major concern relates to the mutation’s ability to spread, which is far greater than the original virus. This variant may even be superseding other Sars-Cov-2 mutations, scientists believe.

The same mutation has been identified in Denmark, Holland and Australia, although it has not yet spread in these countries. The W.H.O. has stated that it is working together with the UK health authorities to study the mutation and understand how it may affect the course of the pandemic.

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