South Africa has informed the world about omicrons. Then they were affected by the travel ban: Coronavirus Update: NPR

People line up to board an Air France flight to Paris at OR Tambo airport in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Nov. 26. The United States, Israel and other European countries have imposed travel restrictions on people with South Africa and other countries in the region.

Jerome Delay / AP

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Jerome Delay / AP

People line up to board an Air France flight to Paris at OR Tambo airport in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Nov. 26. The United States, Israel and other European countries have imposed travel restrictions on people with South Africa and other countries in the region.

Jerome Delay / AP

When the omicron variant of COVID-19 was first identified in South Africa, the country’s scientists quick to notice global health leaders about the new mutations they have found.

Although scientists have little information about the new variant and are uncertain about its origins, several countries, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Israel, and the European Union. announced almost immediately travel ban from South Africa and other South African countries. Restrictive measures have caused protest from some health officials and experts, who warn that the bans are premature and could be harmful precedent.

“There is little utility to these kinds of bans,” Saad Omer, director of the Yale Institute of Global Health, told NPR.

“Unfortunately, from what we know about the epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 and the epidemiology of this variant, the horse may have left the stall,” said Omer, noting the high transmission potential. of this coronavirus and its variants.

And although the omicron variant has been reported in several other countries in Europe, Asia and North America, the travel ban applies only to southern African countries.

One of the identified cases of omicron variation in Belgium no contact or travel with any country in southern Africa, suggesting community spread may have taken place.

“If the question is to prevent this variant from appearing, then exempting the countries where it has been identified and even having more nonstop flights than southern Africa doesn’t really make sense.” .

Studies show that travel bans are not effective in limiting the spread of disease

Travel bans since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in economic and is different consequences we still see today.

ONE recent research from the magazine Science showed that restricting international travel in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic had some effect in delaying the spread, but the researchers say travel restrictions are only really effective. effective when combined with limiting the spread of disease through hand washing, isolation, and early detection. .

Again research, inside Emergency Management Magazine, concluded that there is little evidence to prove that international travel bans are effective in controlling the spread of infectious diseases and that such measures should only be taken if approved by the World Health Organization. World recommended. With the omicron variant, WHO has warned against impose a travel ban.

Instituting travel bans can also create a false impression that the virus is being contained, the researchers say, adding that such policies can also make it difficult for the transportation of medical personnel and other resources.

In addition, the stigma of travel bans can exacerbate racism and xenophobia, by Nicole Errett of the University of Washington, lead author of Emergency Management Magazine research.

Travel bans can lead to less scientific transparency

Omer, of the Yale Institute of Global Health, has another concern about implementing a travel ban during a time of public health crisis: It could undermine its commitment to scientific transparency.

When countries are proactive in disclosing the circulation of the virus with travel restrictions, he said, it will help ease the case that health officials are about to announce what’s happening in their countries. .

“You don’t want a situation where, a month from now, a national health minister … gets the results of the virus in sequence and they say, ‘Okay, if it’s that widespread, it’s going to come from a number of other people. countries, why first?’ And that cycle begins,” said Omer.

Addressing vaccine inequalities around the world is the best way to prevent these new variants from emerging, Omer said.

“If there are multiple transmission events happening hourly, daily, weekly, then the likelihood of a variation occurring increases,” he said.

And one of the most effective ways to tackle inequality, says Omer, is to allow all regions, especially low-income countries, to produce their own Vaccine.

It’s too early to say whether the omicron variation in particular will become a serious public health threat, Omer added, “but that doesn’t mean we don’t play with fire by letting the irregularities run wild. Vaccine equality continues.”