SOUTH AFRICA has been placed back on the red list as a deadly variant of coronavirus spreads across the country, – but now the Botswana variant has reached the UK. A new coronavirus variant has seen South Africa placed back on the UK’s red travel list with fears the variant has the potential to thwart immunity from vaccines or previous infections. The B.1.1.529 Covid variant – also known as the Botswana variant – has only been seen in a handful of cases so far, but the potential to evade immunity has seen it dubbed the “worst we’ve seen so far” by officials. Caes have increased quickly across South Africa, prompting the UK Government to place the country back on the red travel list. Approximately 500 to 700 people arrive in the UK from South Africa each day, however with Christmas nearing this number is expected to grow. Anyone who has arrived in the UK from South Africa over the past 10 days will be invited to take a Covid test. Health Secretary Sajid Javid said flights from South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Botswana, Eswatini and Zimbabwe will be suspended from midday on Friday. He said all six countries will be added to the red list, and from 4am on Sunday anyone arriving to the UK from those countries will be required to isolate in hotels.