Covid: WHO urges people at risk of disease to postpone travel if not fully vaccinated
The World Health Organization says that people who are sick or at risk should postpone their travels if they are not fully vaccinated.
In its latest travel advice, the UN agency included people over the age of 60 and those with heart disease, cancer, and diabetes in this category.
Previous WHO statements recommend against traveling for this group. The revised version states that only those who are more susceptible and not fully vaccinated should postpone travel. This is in line with previous WHO recommendations on travel during the pandemic and comes because of concerns about the new version of Omicron.
The WHO also reiterated its position that a general travel ban would not prevent the option from spreading. South Africa warned the world about this option last week. After that, many countries began to impose travel restrictions on countries in South Africa.
"A complete travel ban will not prevent international spread and will put a strain on lives and livelihoods," the WHO statement said. "In addition, they can disrupt global health efforts during a pandemic by preventing countries from reporting and sharing consistent and epidemiological data."
The WHO advice comes as officials say Omicron arrived in the Netherlands earlier than previously thought. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was "deeply concerned" about South Africa's isolation, adding that "the African people cannot be held responsible for the low levels of immorally available vaccines."
Earlier, WHO Chief of Staff Tedros Adanom Gebrejesus said there were still many questions about Omicron, including its transmission, the severity of the disease it can cause, and the effectiveness of tests and vaccines. Commenting on the closed-door meeting published on the WHO website, Dr. Tedros urged WHO member states to take "rational, proportionate" action.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said the wider region had been the victim of unfair discrimination, adding that the ban would not be effective in preventing options from spreading.
An earlier version of this article stated that WHO advised vulnerable people to postpone all travel, but it was updated when WHO issued a revised statement indicating postponement of journey to areas where the public has given up if they are unwell or not fully vaccinated.