Geneva: WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has warned that blanket travel bans will not prevent the international spread of the Covid – 19 Omicron variant, even as dozens of countries have already introduced such restrictions.

Speaking at a member states session on the Omicron variant on Tuesday he thanked Botswana and South Africa for detecting and reporting this variant so rapidly. It is deeply worrying that these countries were being penalized by others for doing the right thing. WHO announced Omicron variant as variant of concern. Blanket travel bans will only place a heavy burden on lives and livelihoods, while also disincentivizing countries to report and share epidemiological and sequencing data.

Omicron variant was first reported to the WHO by South Africa last week. So far, several countries and regions have confirmed cases of infection with Omicron. Dozens of countries have already tightened travel measures and even suspended flights. He urged countries to take rational, proportional risk-reduction measures in keeping with the international health regulations.