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![Passengers queue to check in at Heathrow Airport in London. The new, potentially more contagious Omicron variant of the coronavirus was found in more European countries, days after being identified in South Africa, leaving governments around the world rushing to stop the spread. AP](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/3YGEB7FZYTQ75DFCAKR4KW5A3U.jpg?smart=true&auth=6dd6ddf01ce5279f96e97d5f0922e1b1430d9f875440a1cb39982dbedb702f74&width=400&height=225)
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![South African Airways listed on a sign at Heathrow. After the discovery of the Omicron variant, Britain imposed new restrictions on arriving travellers. Getty Images](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/OYRAAP3OIFJVATRVTBKHW3NIBI.jpg?smart=true&auth=71f2903f0339fd29b33e1d7d54a25d0ccdeb030c10935e969d78c931cb335d04&width=400&height=225)
![Passengers queue to check in at Heathrow Airport in London. The new, potentially more contagious Omicron variant of the coronavirus was found in more European countries, days after being identified in South Africa, leaving governments around the world rushing to stop the spread. AP](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/3YGEB7FZYTQ75DFCAKR4KW5A3U.jpg?smart=true&auth=6dd6ddf01ce5279f96e97d5f0922e1b1430d9f875440a1cb39982dbedb702f74&width=400&height=225)
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![South African Airways listed on a sign at Heathrow. After the discovery of the Omicron variant, Britain imposed new restrictions on arriving travellers. Getty Images](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/OYRAAP3OIFJVATRVTBKHW3NIBI.jpg?smart=true&auth=71f2903f0339fd29b33e1d7d54a25d0ccdeb030c10935e969d78c931cb335d04&width=400&height=225)
UK's close contact 'ping' rules for Omicron weigh heavily on expat travellers' minds
Travellers will have to self-isolate for 10 full days if identified as a close contact of someone with new variant
![Kelly Clarke](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Fthenational%2F0d1398b1-947f-4bc8-a663-69c6b02cb849.png?smart=true&auth=168c867e0c9f9e3320a65ec2cb755dfde78d4c07327944646c4aad65792033ee&width=70&height=70)
Kelly Clarke
November 30, 2021
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