A slew of nations moved to stop air travel from southern Africa on Friday, and stocks plunged in Asia and Europe in reaction to news of a new, potentially more transmissible Covid-19 variant.“The last thing we need is to bring in a new variant that will cause even more problems,” said German Health Minister Jens Spahn, amid a massive spike in cases in the 27-nation European Union, which is recommending a ban on flights from southern African nations.Within a few days of the discovery of the new variant, it has already impacted on a jittery world that is sensitive to bad Covid-19 news, with deaths around the globe standing at well over 5 million. Medical experts, including the World Health Organization, warned against any overreaction before all elements were clear but nations who acted said their concerns were justified. “Early indications show this variant may be more transmissable than the delta variant and current vaccines may be less effective against it,” British Health Secretary Sajid Javid told lawmakers. "We must move quickly and at the earliest possible moment,” he said.