MUSCAT : Regarding the imposition of travel restrictions for travelers from China, the International Air Transport Association (IATA), represented by Director General Willie Walsh, has released an official statement. The statement reads:
“Several countries are introducing COVID-19 testing and other measures for travellers from China, even though the virus is already circulating widely within their borders. It is extremely disappointing to see this knee-jerk reinstatement of measures that have proven ineffective over the last three years.
Research undertaken around the arrival of the Omicron variant concluded that putting barriers in the way of travel made no difference to the peak spread of infections. At most, restrictions delayed that peak by a few days. If a new variant emerges in any part of the world, the same situation would be expected.
Read More
- Qatar permanently bans 27 individuals from healthcare sector over fake certificates
- Historic solar eclipse to cross Europe as Spain awaits first total eclipse in more than a century
- Nepal: Bodies of three elite Nepali climbers killed in Broad Peak avalanche arrive in Kathmandu
- “We own it”: Trump reiterates “total control” over Strait of Hormuz
- Pakistan, Iran hold high-level talks as Hormuz crisis drags on
That’s why governments should listen to the advice of experts, including the WHO, that advise against travel restrictions. We have the tools to manage COVID-19 without resorting to ineffective measures that cut off international connectivity, damage economies, and destroy jobs. Governments must base their decisions on ‘science facts’ rather than ‘science politics’.”
For all the latest news from Oman and GCC, follow us on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn, like us on Facebook and subscribe to our YouTube page, which is updated daily.
