Staring Monday, President Biden will begin restricting travel to the U.S. from South Africa and seven other countries, CNN reports. The news arrived mere moments after the World Health Organization classified the new Omicron COVID variant, which was first detected in southern Africa, as a "variant of concern."
Biden is acting on the advice of White House chief medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In addition to South Africa, the U.S. will restrict travel from Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique, and Malawi. The president was briefed on the variant on Friday, a White House official told CNN.
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