WHO criticizes ban on direct flights to South Africa

Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has expressed disappointment with the ban on direct flights to South Africa by a number of states due to the omicron strain of coronavirus detected there in November.

"It remains disappointing that some countries continue to block direct flights from southern Africa due to the Omicron variant. It’s also dismaying that some countries aren’t accepting negative COVID19 tests from countries of origin and instead require tests only from 3rd countries,” he tweeted.

"Respect is owed to the science and technology expertise in African countries as well as their transparency and sharing, including data related to the Omicron variant of concern. This is helping to ensure a safer world for all people everywhere,” he stressed.

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