World Health Organidation (WHO) has issued advice to countries on travel, given the circulation of Omicron variant.
The International health agency commended South Africa and Botswana for the speed and transparency with which they notified and shared information on Omicron, allowing other countries to rapidly adjust their response.
The WHO said while scientific research is underway to understand how the variant behaves, it advises that countries should continue to apply an evidence-informed and risk-based approach when implementing travel measures in accordance with the IHR.
It said national authorities may apply a multi-layered risk mitigation approach to potentially delay the exportation or importation of the new variant.
WHO further stated that blanket travel bans will not prevent the international spread, and they place a heavy burden on lives and livelihoods.
It said they can adversely impact global health efforts during a pandemic by disincentivizing countries to report and share epidemiological and sequencing data.
The WHO asked all travellers to remain vigilant for signs and symptoms of COVID-19, get vaccinated when it is their turn and adhere to public health and social measures at all times.
As of 28 November 2021, 56 countries were reportedly implementing travel measures aimed at potentially delaying the importation of the new variant.
Stay ahead with the latest updates! Join The ConclaveNG on WhatsApp and Telegram for real-time news alerts, breaking stories, and exclusive content delivered straight to your phone. Don’t miss a headline — subscribe now!
