U.S., different international locations face criticism over journey bans on southern African international locations

JOHANNESBURG – The World Health Organization called on countries around the world on Sunday not to impose flight bans on South African nations due to concerns about the new Omicron variant.

WHO Regional Director for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti, urged countries to follow scientific and international health regulations to avoid travel restrictions.

“Travel restrictions can play a role in slightly reducing the spread of COVID-19, but putting a heavy toll on life and livelihoods,” Moeti said in a statement. “If restrictions are introduced, they should not be unnecessarily invasive or intrusive and should be scientifically sound, in accordance with the International Health Regulations, a legally binding instrument of international law recognized by over 190 nations.”

Moeti commended South Africa for following international health regulations and informing WHO as soon as its national laboratory identified the Omicron variant.

“The speed and transparency of the governments of South Africa and Botswana in informing the world about the new variant are to be commended,” said Moeti. “WHO stands by the side of African countries who have had the courage to courageously share life-saving public health information to help protect the world from the spread of COVID-19.”

The South African President Cyril Ramaphosa called the restrictions “completely unjustified”.

“The travel ban is neither scientifically founded nor will it effectively prevent the spread of this variant,” said a speech on Sunday evening. “The only thing that the travel ban will do is to further damage the economies of the affected countries and undermine the ability to respond to and recover from the pandemic.”

Cases of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus surfaced in countries on opposite sides of the world on Sunday, and many governments rushed to close their borders, despite scientists warning that it is not clear whether the new variant is more alarming than other versions of the Virus.

While investigations into the Omicron variant continue, the WHO recommends that all countries “take a risk-based and scientific approach and take measures that can limit their possible spread”.

Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health in the United States, stressed that there is still no data to suggest that the new variant causes more serious illness than previous COVID-19 variants.

“I think it’s more contagious when you look at how quickly it has spread to multiple districts in South Africa,” Collins said in CNN’s State of the Union.

Matshidiso Moeti, World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa, speaks at a press conference at the European Headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland on February 1, 2019. The World Health Organization on Sunday November 28th. 2021 called on countries around the world not to impose flight bans on South African states due to concerns about the new Omicron variant. WHO Regional Director for Africa Matshidiso Moeti urged countries to follow scientific and international health regulations to avoid travel restrictions. (Salvatore Di Nolfi / Keystone via AP, file)AP

Israel decided to ban foreigners from entering the country, and Morocco said it would suspend all incoming flights for two weeks starting Monday – among the most drastic of a growing series of travel restrictions imposed as nations scramble to slow the spread of the variant . Scientists in several places – from Hong Kong to Europe – have confirmed its presence. The Netherlands reported 13 Omicron cases on Sunday, Australia two.

The US wants to ban travel from South Africa and seven other South African countries from Monday.

“With the Omicron variant now discovered in several regions of the world, the introduction of travel bans targeting Africa attacks global solidarity,” said Moeti. “COVID-19 is constantly taking advantage of our divisions. We will only overcome the virus if we work together on solutions. “

WHO said it is expanding its support for genome sequencing in Africa so that sequencing laboratories have access to adequate human resources and test reagents to operate at full capacity. WHO also said it was ready to offer additional help and step up COVID-19 responses, including surveillance, treatment, infection prevention and community engagement in the countries of southern Africa, it said.