Blanket travel bans will not prevent int'l spread of Omicron-WHO

The World Health Organization has said that blanket travel bans would not prevent the spread of the Omicron Covid-19 variant of concern, after dozens of countries imposed restrictions. "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 disincentivising countries to report and share epidemiological and sequencing data," the WHO said in a travel advice statement on Omicron.

It added that persons  persons "who are unwell, or who have not been fully vaccinated or do not have proof of previous SARS-CoV-2 infection and are at increased risk of developing severe disease and dying, including people 60 years of age or older or those with comorbidities that present increased risk of severe COVID-19 (e.g. heart disease, cancer and diabetes) should be advised to postpone travel to areas with community transmission." As of Nov 28, 56 countries were reportedly implementing travel measures aimed at potentially delaying the importation of the new variant, according to the WHO.