Scientists warn travel, border bans not helpful in preventing spread of Omicron: Report

As cases of Omicron variant have emerged in 38 countries across the world, the international community has started reimposing restrictions to curb the virus. Some countries have reinstated travel restrictions amid the new strain scare. However, scientists have warned that the new restrictions are ineffective against the new Omicron variant of COVID-19, ANI cited a report published in the journal Nature. 

After the mutated variant Omicron of COVID-19 has emerged, more than 50 countries have ramped up border restrictions to control its spread. Karen Grepin, a health economist at the University of Hong Kong has informed that the new measures imposed by the government like travel restrictions will have no effect on controlling the virus. Scientists emphasised that a selective travel ban would result as a “deterrent” for future pandemics.

"I'm not that optimistic that the way in which these measures are being rolled out right now will have an impact," Karen Grepin said in the Nature. 

Furthermore, the scientists noted that the selective travel ban would impact data sharing for future pandemics. Shabir Madhi, a vaccinologist at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg stated that the travel ban would affect the speed at which the experts have been trying to investigate the virus. The researchers pointed out that with limited flights to South Africa, experts will not be able to access virus samples that are required to study new strains of COVID-19 pandemic. Scientists concluded that travel restrictions were not enough to prevent the spread of virus. 

"The travel ban will paradoxically affect the speed at which scientists are able to investigate," Shabir Madhi said the journal as per ANI. 

Omicron variant

The detection of cases of the new variant, Omicron of COVID-19 has sounded an alarm across the world. Maria Van Kerkhove, the technical head of COVID-19 response at the World Health Organization’s Emergency Unit, has stated that the new strain of COVID-19 has been detected in 38 countries, ANI cited Sputnik report. However, Kerkhove mentioned that the Delta variant of coronavirus continues to remain dominant. On 26 November, the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 was designated as a 'variant of concern' by the World Health Organisation. 

Inputs from ANI

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