Tomorrow the US joins the European Union in posing strict travel restrictions in response to the new Omicron variant. In addition to South Africa, a host of other countries are included in the US restrictions, affecting estimated 122 flights between the US and South Africa in December.

Once again, the pandemic weary world has been plunged into uncertainty following the discovery of a new variant by South African scientists, which could be more transmissible and vaccine resistant. One nation after another shuts its doors to across southern Africa. The US follows tomorrow and Israel has imposed world’s toughest restrictions today, banning all travelers for the next two weeks. But with Omicron already surging the world, public health experts say border closures don’t help.

Holiday crowds are filling the sidewalks, freeways and airport in LA this weekend amid growing concerns about Omicron, the new Coronavirus strain. The scientists are working to quickly understand just how dangerous and contagious this strain is. They said they haven’t found that the Omicron is vaccine resistant.

:::tip a host of

• a lot of. 大量的，许多

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