The World Health Organization (WHO) has advised countries to apply "an evidence-informed and risk-based approach" when implementing travel measures related to the Omicron variant of COVID-19, including possible screening or quarantine of international passengers, but blanket bans will not prevent its spread.
In an advisory, issued on November 30, for international traffic in relation to the new coronavirus variant, WHO 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.
While scientific research is underway to understand how the variant behaves, WHO said that people over 60 years of age who are not fully vaccinated or do not have proof of previous SARS-COV-2 infection and those with underlying health conditions should be advised to postpone travel as they are at higher risk of disease and death.
It said that national authorities in countries of departure, transit and arrival may apply a multi-layered risk mitigation approach to potentially delay and/or reduce the exportation or importation of the Omicron variant. “Such measures may include screening of passengers prior to travelling and/or upon arrival, including via the use of SARS-CoV-2 testing or the application of quarantine to international travellers,” it said.
“These measures, nonetheless, need to be defined following a thorough risk assessment process informed by the local epidemiology in departure and destination countries and by the health system and public health capacities in the countries of departure, transit and arrival. All measures should be commensurate with the risk, time-limited and applied with respect to travellers’ dignity, human rights and fundamental freedoms,” WHO said in the advisory.
It, however, said that blanket travel bans will not prevent the international spread, and they place a heavy burden on lives and livelihoods. “In addition, they can adversely impact global health efforts during a pandemic by disincentivizing countries to report and share epidemiological and sequencing data,” it said.
As of November 28, 56 countries were reportedly implementing travel measures aimed at potentially delaying the importation of Omicron, according to WHO.
It further advised all travellers should 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.
The B.1.1.529 variant of COVID-19 or Omicron was first detected in South Africa last week. It has been designated by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as a 'variant of concern', the health body's top category for worrying coronavirus variants.