Citizens returning to Russia from countries with a high risk of infection with the new omicron coronavirus strain will have to undergo a 14-day quarantine. This was announced by the head of Rospotrebnadzor Anna Popova.
“We are forced to demand compliance with a 14-day quarantine upon our return. According to operational data, we are talking about several hundred of our citizens, ”Popova said at a meeting of the Presidium of the Coordination Council under the government for the fight against coronavirus. The measure will apply to citizens arriving in Russia from countries with which regular communication has not been resumed.
Popova added that free testing was organized at Russian airports for those arriving from countries that are at risk of being infected with a new strain – primarily from South Africa, China, Great Britain and other countries that have announced the discovery of a new coronavirus mutation.
The new omicron coronavirus strain, also known as B.1.1.529, was discovered in November in South Africa. It is distinguished by a large number of mutations in the S-protein, which is necessary for the pathogen to infect the cells of the body. Scientists speculate that this virus may be more resistant to vaccines and more infectious than previously known variants.
On November 27, the head of the World Medical Association, Frank Ulrich Montgomery, expressed concern about the spread of a new strain – according to him, the new variant of the virus could be comparable to Ebola in terms of the degree of danger. The World Health Organization also estimates the overall risk associated with the new variant of the coronavirus as very high.
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