Given the rapid spread of the latest Omicron subvariant of COVID-19 in the United States, World Health Organization (WHO) officials said on Tuesday that countries should consider recommending that passengers on long-haul flights wear masks .
WHO and European officials said at a press briefing that in Europe, a small but growing number of XBB.1.5 subvariants had been identified.
The WHO’s senior emergency officer for Europe, Catherine Smallwood, said travelers should be advised to wear masks in high-risk situations such as long-haul flights. -19 Transmission”.
Health officials have said that XBB.1.5 – the most transmissible omicron subvariant found so far – is responsible for 27.6% of COVID-19 cases in the United States.
It was unclear whether XBB.1.5 would cause its own wave of global infections. Experts say existing vaccines protect against severe symptoms, hospitalization and death.
Smallwood said “countries need to look at the evidence base for pre-departure testing” and that if action is considered, “travel measures should be implemented in a non-discriminatory manner.”
He added that this does not mean the agency recommends testing travelers to the United States at this stage.
Measures that could be taken include genomic surveillance and targeting of travelers from other countries, as long as it does not divert resources from domestic surveillance systems. Others include monitoring wastewater around points of entry such as airports.