The International Air Transport Association (IATA) urges urged governments to accelerate the relaxation of travel restrictions, saying evidence suggests a minimal impact of travel restrictions on the spread of the virus.
IATA called for removing all travel barriers (including quarantine and testing) for those fully vaccinated with a WHO-approved vaccine, enabling quarantine-free travel for non-vaccinated travelers with a negative pre-departure antigen test result, removing travel bans, and accelerating the easing of travel restrictions in recognition that travelers pose no greater risk for COVID-19 spread than already exists in the general population, media reports said.
“With the experience of the Omicron variant, there is mounting scientific evidence and opinion opposing the targeting of travelers with restrictions and country bans to control the spread of COVID-19,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director-General.
He added, “The measures have not worked. Today Omicron is present in all parts of the world. That is why travel, with very few exceptions, does not increase the risk to general populations. The billions spent testing travelers would be far more effective if allocated to vaccine distribution or strengthening healthcare systems.”
A recently published study by Oxera and Edge Health demonstrated the minimal impact of travel restrictions on controlling the spread of Omicron.
The study found that if the United Kingdom’s (UK’s) extra measures concerning Omicron had been in place from the beginning of November (before the identification of the variant), the wave’s peak would have been delayed by just five days with three percent fewer cases.
The absence of testing measures for travelers would have seen the Omicron wave peak seven days earlier with an overall eight percent increase in cases.
Now that Omicron is highly prevalent in the UK, if all travel testing requirements were removed, there would be no impact on Omicron case numbers or hospitalizations in the UK.
“While the study is specific to the UK, it is clear that travel restrictions in any part of the world have had little impact on the spread of COVID-19, including the Omicron variant. The UK, France and Switzerland have recognized this and are the first to begin removing travel measures. More governments need to follow their lead. Accelerating the removal of travel restrictions will be a major step towards living with the virus,” Walsh said.