President Biden announced travel restrictions for people entering the US from South Africa, Brazil, and 27 European countries. The decision was made in an effort to prevent the spread of recently-discovered coronavirus variants, including the B.1.1.7 strain (initially discovered in the UK), the B.1.351 strain (South Africa), and the B.1.1.28.1 strain (Brazil). The new measures will restrict or suspend travel for anyone who has been in the impacted areas during the preceding 14 days.
Extra: Moderna said yesterday that its vaccine does produce neutralizing antibodies for the UK and South African variants, but is less effective against the South African strain. The company is also exploring an additional booster shot to increase efficacy against the new variants.
The New Paper
This story is from the January 26, 2021 edition of The New Paper – a clear, concise daily briefing that makes fact-first news easy to consume. Try it today.
