BRUSSELS, December 7, Germany's outgoing health minister said on Tuesday that travel restrictions that limit arrivals to the European Union are important until more is known about the Omicron variant of the coronaviruses.
In November, EU states agreed to impose travel restrictions on seven southern African countries after they reported several cases of the Omicron variant, which is considered highly infectious.
When we know more, we need to be careful, and travel restrictions are important to keep entry in Europe and Germany as low as possible, Jens Spahn told reporters as he arrived in Brussels for a meeting of EU health ministers.
On Monday, EU sources said there was no immediate plan to ease the restrictions, quashing a media report that a diplomat said this could be the case.
Following Tuesday's meeting, EU Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides said: "We are facing a very challenging epidemiological situation in all members states with the COVID-19 pandemic, which is particularly challenging due to the appearance of the Omicron variant. She said she would urge ministers to step up vaccinations and, when necessary, to promote other non-pharmaceutical measures, such as requiring the wearing of masks and social distancing.
Prior to the meeting, Malta's health minister, Christopher Fearne, told reporters he wanted pharmaceutical companies to produce a modified version of their vaccines in less than 100 days.
Pfizer and BionTech, the main suppliers of COVID 19 vaccines to the EU, said they would need 100 days.
A hundred days is possibly too long for us to wait for a modified vaccine, Fearne said, noting that there is no certainty that the Omicron variant will require an adapted vaccine, the assumption being that boosters may be enough to tackle the new mutation.