The World Health Organization is recommending passengers of long-haul flights to wear masks to counter the latest Omicron subvariant XBB.1.5, which is spreading rapidly in the United States and being detected in small but growing numbers in Europe.
Passengers should be recommended to wear masks in high risk settings such as long-haul flight, said WHO senior emergency officer for Europe, Catherine Smallwood, adding “this should be a recommendation issued to passengers arriving from anywhere where there is widespread COVID-19 transmission.”
XBB.1.5 – the most transmissible Omicron subvariant that has been detected so far – accounted for 27.6 percent of COVID-19 cases in the United States for the week ending January 7, US health officials reported.
It remains unclear if XBB.1.5 will cause another wave of infections around the world, although experts say that current vaccines continue to protect against severe symptoms, hospitalization and death.
In terms of predeparture testing for COVID, Smallwood says countries need to look at the evidence base before implementing additional requirements. If travel measures are considered, “our opinion is that travel measures should be implemented in a nondiscriminatory manner,” she noted.
In Asia, Beijing has stopped issuing short-term visas to South Korean visitors in retaliation for curbs on travelers arriving from Chinese territories. A similar suspension has reportedly been slapped on Japanese travelers to China.
With governments being pressured against implementing restrictions on air travelers, the onus is upon the traveler to continue being aware and protect themselves from the coronavirus. As the past three years have taught us, the best way is still by diligently wearing masks in high risk situations such as long haul flights and crowded indoor spaces, as well as ensuring that COVID vaccinations and boosters are up to date, as much as possible.
The Omicron XBB.1.5 subvariant becomes a threat only if we allow it to. Our journey towards recovery from the pandemic does not have to be sidetracked as long as we keep up our guard and observe the necessary protocols, regardless of whether other countries, big or small, are succeeding or failing in their own battles against the coronavirus.*
