The World Health Organisation has urged nations to lift or ease COVID-19 travel restrictions. According to WHO, the restrictions are detrimental to economic growth and have proven to have little public health value.
On January 13, the WHO emergency committee on international health regulations met to evaluate the latest developments in the pandemic situation across the world.
The meeting also sought to revisit the COVID-19 response measures.
This is amid the spread of the Omicron strain as the meeting also sought to revisit the COVID-19 response measures.
A statement released by WHO reads, “the committee identified the following actions as critical for all countries; lift or ease international traffic bans.
“do not provide added value and continue to contribute to the economic and social stress experienced by states parties.’’
The committee also said the failure of travel restrictions to restrain the cross-border spread of Omicron had proven their inefficacy.
“Countries should rely on evidence-informed risk assessment when choosing to introduce travel requirements, namely masking, testing, vaccination, and quarantine, and avoid placing the financial burden on international travellers.
“The WHO advised for international traffic to not require proof of vaccination against COVID-19 for international travel as the only pathway or condition permitting international travel given limited global access and inequitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines,” the statement added.
The WHO also urged states to recognise all vaccines that have received WHO authorisation, particularly in the context of international travel.
The agency further requested states to uphold research “to derive the optimal vaccination strategy for reducing infection, morbidity and mortality”.
It further said, “Countries should rely on evidence-informed risk assessment when choosing to introduce travel requirements, namely masking, testing, vaccination, and quarantine, and avoid placing the financial burden on international travellers.
“The WHO advised for international traffic to not require proof of vaccination against COVID-19 for international travel as the only pathway or condition permitting international travel given limited global access and inequitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.”
At present, the WHO has approved 10 COVID-19 vaccines, including Covovax, Moderna, Comirnaty, Janssen, Astrazeneca, Covishield, Covaxin, Sinovac and Sinopharm.
