Ukraine warns against travel to southern Africa as COVID cases fall

The discovery of the omicron variant of COVID-19 has
prompted the Foreign Ministry to warn Ukrainians against travelling to southern
Africa, the ministry announced on Nov. 29. Specifically, Ukrainian citizens are
recommended to stay away from the Republic of South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini,
Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, and Zimbabwe. Those who are currently there are
told to “strictly adhere to anti-epidemic requirements” and to be prepared for
extra quarantine measures upon return to Ukraine.

The announcement comes as the current wave of
delta-variant COVID-19 is receding in Ukraine. Health Minister Viktor Liashko
stated on Nov. 29 that new COVID-19-related cases had declined by 22% over the
past week, ukrinform.net reports. Moreover, for the second week in a row, the
release from hospitals of COVID-related patients was higher than the intake of
new cases.

James Hydzik: While the
world sorts out the potential effect of the newly-discovered omicron variant of
COVID, the subsidence of cases in Ukraine lets the stock-taking begin. The
problem of fake documents came to the fore this time, and while the authorities
will be better prepared for the inevitable next wave, the problem will persist.

The impacts of both the actual illness and the
measures taken against it were important parts of the breakdown of public
resistance to being vaccinated. Polling should show which factor was of greater
importance for changing public opinion, and if the omicron variant proves to be
disruptive, messaging needs to be based on it, or the painful learning curve of
experience will need to be followed again.