Omicron variant: No common sense behind travel bans on Africa – AU chief

At a conference between the African Union and the UN on Wednesday, Mr Faki said there was no “common sense” or scientific reasoning behind the travel bans, especially since it has been learnt it existed in many places long before South African scientists isolated it.

“We have told UN agencies that there is no scientific basis for these travel bans, it has been found that this variant was circulating in Europe before it was identified in South Africa,” Faki told an audience in New York at a forum to commemorate slavery.

“We condemn and challenge the travel measures that have no basis in science nor common sense. To condemn a country because its scientists alerted the world of the prevalence of a new variant, is immoral. In the face of a common enemy, the life of a human being should be the same,” he added.

Faki spoke in the wake of the discovery of a new variant of Covid-19 virus now known as Omicron. South African scientists announced last week they had discovered the variant that is more infectious and has various mutations from the original form.

And although South Africa itself had recorded an increase in infection rate, there has been further proof this version had existed in different places including Germany, in communities that had no travel history to South Africa.

Most of the countries have however imposed a blockade on travel from Africa, causing anger to the continent.

Last week, the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention said the history of the pandemic had showed lockdowns work less effectively compared to physical distancing, mask-wearing, sanitisation and vaccination.

It didn’t stop the US, Germany, UK, and Canada from restricting travel from South Africa.