Following the spread of the omicron virus variant, the World Health Organization (WHO) is urging people over the age of 60 to cancel international travel because they are at risk of becoming seriously ill with COVID-19.
”"I think it's a little too early to draw that card," says Professor Ali Mirazimi to TT.
The WHO's recommendation on Tuesday also includes people with multiple illnesses.
”"People who are frail or at risk of developing severe illness and death from COVID-19, including people over 60 years of age or those with multiple medical conditions (such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes) should be advised to cancel travel," the WHO writes in its travel advice to the world's governments.
The World Health Organization further writes that it expects that omicron cases will be detected in an increasing number of countries as national authorities step up contact tracing and sequencing. At the same time, the WHO advises countries around the world against closing borders as a way to stop the infection.
”General travel bans will not prevent international spread, and place a heavy burden on people's lives and livelihoods. In addition, they can negatively impact global health efforts during a pandemic by discouraging countries from reporting and sharing epidemiological and sequencing data,” the organization writes.
However, travelers should be aware of symptoms of COVID-19, get vaccinated, and follow recommendations regardless of whether they have been vaccinated or not, according to WHO.
Ali Mirazimi, professor of clinical virology at the Karolinska Institute, describes it as a precautionary measure but is doubtful that it has any effect.
”"Currently, the knowledge base is quite lacking, we don't know much about omicron," he tells TT and continues:
”The question is whether it is necessary in the first place or whether it even has any effect – they can’t force anyone not to travel.”
Mirazimi points out that even younger people can be hit hard and describes a scenario where a 55-year-old could potentially go to Germany and give it to a 60-year-old at home.
”"It's a strange measure. Sometimes I think you want to show that you're proactive. That you do things. Without thinking a bit. I spontaneously think that this has no further effect," he says.
When asked if it is already too late to stop the virus from spreading around the world, Ali Mirazimi says that the pattern repeats itself from the previous variants, that we are discovering them when they have already spread.
”"It's a globalized world. People travel, we can't stop that, so the virus moves. The measures that are important now are to test, find the people, trace the infection and deploy those resources instead of closing borders and stopping people from moving."”
The Public Health Agency of Sweden tells TT that it will not comment on the WHO's travel advice on Tuesday evening.
