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IATA calls for travel restriction relaxation, says COVID-19 may be declared endemic

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has urged governments to accelerate the relaxation of travel restrictions as COVID-19 continues to evolve from the pandemic to endemic stage.

The clearinghouse for over 290 global airlines called for the removal of all travel barriers (including quarantine and testing) for those fully vaccinated with a WHO-approved vaccine.

The group equally called for enabling quarantine-free travel for non-vaccinated travellers with a negative pre-departure antigen test result, removal of travel bans and accelerating the easing of travel restrictions in recognition that travellers pose no greater risk for the spread of COVID-19 than already exists in the general population.

The Director-General of IATA, Willie Walsh said: “With the experience of the Omicron variant, there is mounting scientific evidence and opinion opposing the targeting of travellers with restrictions and country bans to control the spread of COVID-19. The measures have not worked.”

“Today Omicron is present in all parts of the world. That’s why travel, with very few exceptions, does not increase the risk to general populations. The billions spent testing travellers would be far more effective if allocated to vaccine distribution or strengthening health care systems,” he said

Walsh further stated that it is clear that travel restrictions in any part of the world have had little impact on the spread of COVID-19, including the Omicron variant.

He disclosed that the UK, France, and Switzerland have recognized this and are among the first to begin removing travel measures.

He urged that more governments need to follow their lead, stressing that accelerating the removal of travel restrictions would be a major step towards living with the virus.

The IATA boss further stated that all indications point to COVID-19 becoming an endemic condition—one that humankind now has the tools (including vaccination and therapeutics) to live and travel with, bolstered by growing population immunity.

He described the current situation of travel restrictions as a ‘mess’, buttressing his claim that there seem to be more unique solutions to managing travel and COVID-19 than there are countries to travel to.

“Indeed research from the Migration Policy Institute has counted more than 100,000 travel measures around the world that create complexity for passengers, airlines, and governments to manage. We have two years of experience to guide us on a simplified and coordinated path to normal travel when COVID-19 is endemic,” said Walsh.

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