Travel Industry News at TravelNewsAsia.com since 1997
Wed, 1 December 2021

Blanket Travel Bans Will Not Prevent International Spread of COVID19

(01 Dec 2021)  Since the new COVID19 variant of concern (VOC) named Omicron (B.1.1.529) made global headlines late last week, an increasing number of countries have introduced travel restrictions, including temporarily prohibiting the arrival of international travellers.

While the World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that preliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection with the Omicron variant as compared to other VOCs, current SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) diagnostics continue to be effective in detecting the variant.

With scientific research underway to understand how the variant behaves, the WHO has advised that:

- Countries should continue to apply an evidence-informed and risk-based approach when implementing travel measures in accordance with International Health Regulations (IHR), including the latest Temporary Recommendations issued by the WHO Director-General on 26 October 2021 following the 9th Emergency Committee for COVID-19 and as recommended in the documents WHO policy and technical considerations for implementing a risk-based approach to international travel in the context of COVID-19 issued in July 2021.

Closed shops at Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) in August 2020. Picture by Steven Howard of TravelNewsAsia.com Click to enlarge.
Closed shops at Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) in August 2020. Picture by Steven Howard of TravelNewsAsia.com

- National authorities in countries of departure, transit and arrival may apply a multi-layered risk mitigation approach to potentially delay and/or reduce the exportation or importation of the new variant. Such measures may include screening of passengers prior to travelling and/or upon arrival, including via the use of SARS-CoV-2 testing or the application of quarantine to international travellers.

The WHO has repeatedly said that blanket travel bans will not prevent the international spread of the virus, and they place a heavy burden on lives and livelihoods. In addition, they can adversely impact global health efforts during a pandemic by disincentivizing countries to report and share epidemiological and sequencing data.

Since the beginning of the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak, WHO has been monitoring the international travel measures implemented by countries and sharing this information with National IHR Focal Points via the Event Information Site (EIS).

As of 28 November 2021, 56 countries were reportedly implementing travel measures aimed at potentially delaying the importation of the new variant.

The WHO has stated that essential international travel - including travel for emergency and humanitarian missions, travel of essential personnel, repatriations and cargo transport of essential supplies - should continue to be prioritized at all times during the COVID19 pandemic.

The WHO has also made it clear that those persons who have not been fully vaccinated or do not have proof of previous SARS-CoV-2 infection and are at increased risk of developing severe disease and dying, including people 60 years of age or older or those with comorbidities that present increased risk of severe COVID19 (e.g. heart disease, cancer and diabetes) should be advised to postpone travel to areas with community transmission.

The WHO's message throughout the pandemic has been consistent and clear. Travellers should remain vigilant for signs and symptoms of COVID19, get vaccinated when it is their turn and adhere to public health and social measures at all times and regardless of vaccination status, including by using masks appropriately, respecting physical distancing, following good respiratory etiquette and avoiding crowded and poorly ventilated spaces.

Headlines: Rosewood to Rebrand Three Lodges in New Zealand  New Dual-Branded Hotel in Kuala Lumpur Appoints Senior Management Team  Bonza to Launch Sunshine Coast - Darwin, Gold Coast - Darwin and Melbourne - Alice Springs  IHG Opens First avid Hotel in New York, USA  Austria to Order Embraer C-390 Millennium Multi-Mission Aircraft  Maldivian Orders Two ATR 42-600 Turboprop Aircraft  IndiGo Adds San Francisco to Codeshare Partnership with Turkish Airlines  Virgin Australia Upgrades Retailing Strategy with Sabre Air Price and Ancillary Solutions  TUI Expands Use of SITA OptiClimb to All Five Airlines in Group  Marshall J Orton Joins Fairmont Singapore and Swissôtel The Stamford as GM of F&B  China Airlines Launches Flights Between Taipei and Kumamoto, Japan  IATA FEGA Identifies Potential for LOT Polish Airlines to Reduce Fuel Consumption  British Airways Joins Fight Against Dementia by Partnering Alzheimer's Society  Hong Kong Int. Aviation Academy Launches First Cadet Pilot Programme  IndiGo Becomes Official Airline of Blue Tigers Indian Football Team  Marriott Opens World's Largest Aloft Hotel  Resort in Maldives Partners Karis Scarlette for Baa Atoll Ballet Retreat  Shady Abdelaziz Joins Four Seasons Hotel Tunis as DOSM  Intra-African Passenger Traffic to More Than Quadruple in Next 20 Years  Indian Air Force Takes Delivery of First C295 Aircraft from Airbus  Tailwind Air Appoints APG as Online GSA in USA  S Hotels Renovates and Upgrades IT Infrastructure at Key Properties in UK  AirAsia to Move Flights to New Airport in Siem Reap, Cambodia  Air Peace Orders Five Embraer E175 Aircraft  China Airlines Rewards FFP Members with Monthly Promotions  IHG Opens New-Build Holiday Inn & Suites in Geelong, Australia  Aruba Working with SITA to Upgrade Immigration Experience at AUA  Langham Opens Cordis Hotel in Xuzhou, China  SMBC Aviation Capital Expands 737 MAX Order Pipeline with Deal for 25 Boeing 737-8s  PHI Signs Agreement for 28 Airbus Helicopters  Anantara Chiang Mai Launches Ping River Cruises on Restored Rice Barge  Thaicom Orders a Flexible Telecommunications Satellite from Airbus  Korean Air Begins Transition to Electronic Air Waybills for Cargo  Tim Toerber Joins Assaia as Vice President of Business Development for the Americas  Elbit Systems Launches Capsule that Combines Skylark III with SkyStriker  Singapore Airlines to Resume Flights to Brussels in 2024  Vietnam Airlines Signs MOU for 50 Boeing 737 MAX 8s  Thai Airways Adjusts BKK-HKT Schedule; Increases Flights to China  Elbit Systems to Upgrade IDF's Mini Skylarks  DidaTravel Appoints Ala Andriuta as Head of Destination Marketing  Cathay Pacific to Resume Flights to Chennai, India in 2024  Qatar Airways Partners Chef Ton for Delicious Thai Flavours in Business Class  Air Astana Opens Flight Training Centre at NQZ, Kazakhstan  Vietnam Airlines to Launch Flights Between Saigon and Perth, Australia  SalamAir to Launch Year-Round Flights Between Muscat and Beirut, Lebanon  Air Astana Launches Flights Between Almaty and Tel Aviv, Israel  Hawaiian Airlines Opens Ticket Sales on First Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner Flights  Airlines Report Highest RPK and PLF on Record  IHG Signs Six Hotel Indigo Properties in Europe  Turkish Airlines Increases A350 Order Book with Deal for Ten -900s  IATA Reports Global Air Cargo Data for July 2023  Norse Opens Ticket Sales on Paris - Los Angeles Flights  Cartier Opens Boutique at Sydney Airport in Australia  Mazen Abilmona Appointed GM of Pullman Singapore Hill Street Hotel  Air France-KLM to Establish A350 Component Maintenance Services JV with Airbus  Alan Joyce Brings Forward Retirement; Vanessa Hudson Appointed Qantas Group CEO and MD  SAS Appoints Ginger Hughes as CTO; Paul Verhagen as CCO  Eric Pellen Joins Fairmont Amman as Executive Chef  Bombardier Partners Collins Aerospace for Avionics Upgrade on In-Service Global Jets  IndiGo Revamps Inflight Catering Service  FlyArystan to Launch Almaty - Delhi and Astana - Dushanbe Flights  Marriott Opens First Autograph Collection Hotel in Thailand  Construction Begins on Peppers Gladstone Hotel in Central Queensland, Australia  Natalie Dau to Conduct 4-Day Next-Level Performance Retreat at Chiva-Som, Hua Hin  KAI to Begin Serial Production of Light Armed Helicopters from Airbus  AirAsia Thailand Launches CNX - Lampang and NAN - Phrae Transfer Services  Mantra Melbourne Airport Hotel to Undergo Multi-Million Dollar Refurbishment  Qantas Removes Expiry Date on COVID Credits  Indonesia Signs MOU with Boeing for 24 F-15EX Fighter Jets  Airbus Opens Automated A321XLR Equipping Hangar in Hamburg, Germany  Novotel Living and Ibis Almaty Jetisu Hotels in Kazakhstan - Interview with GM, Arseniy Tagaev  Aeroflot to Increase Flights from Russia to Bangkok and Phuket in Thailand  Matthew Senyard Appointed Lodge Manager of Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti in Tanzania  Marriott Expands Luxury Collection to Japanese City of Nara  Embraer and CAE to Expand Pilot Training Program in Singapore  Marriott Opens First Moxy Hotel in Australia  Hong Kong Airport Reports July Passenger and Cargo Traffic  Few Tickets Still Available for Singapore F1 Grand Prix 2023  Qantas Orders 12 Airbus and 12 Boeing Aircraft  Finnair to Launch Flights Between Rovaniemi and Tromsø  Association of Asia Pacific Airlines Reports July's Passenger and Cargo Traffic  Bonza to Launch Flights Between Gold Coast and Launceston, Tasmania  Ramsey Saarany Appointed GM of Anantara Mina al Arab Ras Al Khaimah Resort  Emirates Reports One of its Busiest Summers Ever  EVA Air Extends Distribution Agreement with Amadeus  Almaty Marathon 2023 - 4K Video Interview with CEO, Saltanat Kazybayeva  Accor Hotels in Australia to Feature Peloton Bikes  Sabre Expands Presence in Fiji and South Pacific Islands with Airline Rep Services  Air New Zealand Orders Two ATR 72-600 Turboprop Aircraft  IndiGo to Operate All International Flights from BLR's Terminal 2  Electric Airport Taxis at Almaty Airport in Kazakhstan - Video Interview with Co-Founder  Elias Pertoft Appointed Pre-Opening GM of Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island  IHG Opens Third Hotel Indigo in Australia  Embraer E195-E2 Receives Type Certification from CAAC  Jörg Arnold Appointed Cluster Director of Andermatt Hotels and GM of The Chedi Andermatt  Marriott Signs Edition Hotel in Dali, China  Ethiopian Airlines to Launch Thrice Weekly Flights to London Gatwick, England  Boeing Appoints Alvin Liu as President - China  Charles Fisher Moves to Cairo as GM of Four Seasons Hotel  Jirarat Ninpadub Appointed GM of Le Meridien Phuket Mai Khao Beach Resort  IndiGo to Launch Flights Between Delhi and Almaty, Kazakhstan  Accor Signs Second Sebel Hotel in Wellington, New Zealand  IHG Launches Garner a New Midscale Conversion Brand  Finnair Plus to Adopt Avios as Currency and Become a Spend-Based Platform  Two Luxurious Manor Homes Open at Fairmont St Andrews in Scotland  Thai AirAsia Reports Q2 and H1 2023 Results  Klook Survey Highlights Latest Travel Trends of Millennials and Gen Zs in Asia Pacific  Vietnam Airlines Signs MOC with Singapore Tourism Board  Aviation Safety and Training Singapore to Upgrade Flight Simulators with Lido FMS  Pictures from Miss International Queen 2023 Transgender Beauty Pageant in Pattaya, Thailand  Exclusive Video Interviews with 17 Miss International Queen 2023 Contestants  Living With One Eye - Six Years On by Steven Howard  HD Videos and Interviews  Podcasts from HD Video Interviews  RSS Feed - Travel Industry News  Ticker - Travel Industry News  Travel Industry News Archives  Travel Trade Shows  High-Res Picture Galleries  Travel News Asia - Latest Travel Industry News 

Subscribe to our Travel Industry News RSS Feed Travel Industry News RSS Feed from TravelNewsAsia.com. To do that in Outlook, right-click the RSS Feeds folder, select Add a New RSS Feed, enter the URL of our RSS Feed which is: https://www.travelnewsasia.com/travelnews.xml and click Add. The feed can also be used to add the headlines to your website or channel via a customisable applet. Have questions? Please read our Travel News FAQ. Thank you.

     
Advertising
Advertising
Copyright © 1997-2023 TravelNewsAsia.com