UK, Israel place South Africa on red list over COVID-19 mutant variant

The UK and Israel have placed a temporary ban on flights from South Africa and five other African countries over worries about a newly identified COVID-19 variant. 

In the UK, the travel restrictions would go into effect on Friday to help keep the spread of the new variant in check, Health Secretary Sajid Javid said. 

Mr Javid stated that the new variant identified in South Africa “may be more transmissible” than the Delta strain and that “the vaccines that we currently have may be less effective.”

The six countries will be placed on the UK’s red list…