SUN 05 DEC, 2021-theGBJournal- ‘’At the height of COVID-19 global pandemic, Nigeria was placed only on the amber list. This is racism, simply put,’’ says one Nigerian resident in the UK, and who had concluded plans for a huge family related programme in Lagos, Nigeria, after the UK Government announced it has added the country to its RED LIST, as OMICRON variant fears grip the UK.
Her sentiment is also echoed by thousands of other Nigerians already scheduled to celebrate the Yuletide with their loved ones in the country or in the UK, a travel route regarded as the most lucrative for airlines in the continent.
The UK health Minister, Sajid Javid making a case for the ban recalled that the UK Government said it would act swiftly should new data require it.
He said over the recent days, the UK Government have learnt of significant number of growing cases linked to travel with Nigeria. There are 27 cases already in England, and that is growing, and Nigeria now is second only to South Africa in terms of linked cases to OMICRON.
‘’So today, the government has decided to add Nigeria to the travel RED LIST, and that will be effective from 4 am on Monday which would mean that only UK citizens or residents in the UK can enter the UK from Nigeria onwards and they would have to quarantine in one of the relevant hotels,’’ he added.
What this means is that pre- departure tests is now required for all inward travellers and that would be effective from 4 am Tuesday, and the test will be acceptable if it is taken within a maximum of 48 hours before the departure time.
The UK has a total of 160 cases of the OMICRON variant already confirmed, and it is growing and Javid says they expect many more cases.
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