Travel restrictions fail to halt spread of Omicron, says new research

EUROPE. New research produced by Oxera and Edge Health reveals that pre-departure testing requirements have proved ineffective at limiting the spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. Analysis of testing restrictions imposed by Italy and Finland on 16 December and 28 December 2021 respectively on all incoming travellers showed no distinguishable difference to transmission of Omicron cases in those countries, said a new study.

Commenting, Airports Council International (ACI) Europe and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said the research highlights “the inefficiency of recent travel restrictions imposed by European countries in mitigating the risks to public health and society posed by COVID-19”.

ACI Europe and IATA urged European governments to lift all travel restrictions for fully vaccinated/recovered individuals holding a valid Covid Certificate – as advised by the new regime for travel within the EU which comes into force today (1 February).

This new regime, set out by an EU Council Recommendation adopted on 25 January, is based on the health status of travellers, rather than the epidemiological situation of their country or area of origin.

The research report also showed that:

  • Maintaining pre-departure testing requirements for vaccinated/recovered travellers further will have no impact on the future spread of the Omicron variant in Italy and Finland.
  • Imposing these restrictions earlier would not have stopped its spread nor significantly limited it in Italy and Finland. This is related to the fact that variants circulate well ahead of the time by which they are identified, which is the reason why both the WHO and ECDC generally consider travel restrictions to be ineffective.
Research from Italy (Rome Ciampino pictured) and Finland demonstrate the ineffectiveness of travel restrictions on virus spread, say ACI Europe and IATA

While Italy and Finland are now lifting their pre-departure testing requirements ACI and IATA expressed concerns that:

  • Both countries could have lifted them earlier or avoided imposing them in the first place – with a negative economic impact but no attendant public health benefit.
  • While Finland has lifted restrictions for all incoming vaccinated/recovered travellers, Italy has done so only for incoming travellers from within the EU/EEA. This now needs to extend to all incoming travellers, said ACI and IATA.

ACI Europe and IATA urged those countries which continue to deviate from the common EU framework to rapidly align with it. These include Austria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Lithuania and Malta.

They added that there are no compelling reasons why vaccinated/recovered travellers should be subjected to a different regime whether they travel within the EU/EEA or come from other countries.

ACI Europe Director General Olivier Jankovec said: “The new regime for intra-EU/EEA travel is right to focus on a ‘person-based approach’ and to recognise that both vaccinated and recovered travellers should not be subjected to any restriction. But having common EU regimes has so far not prevented states from going their own way. This must stop. We now have further proof – travel restrictions do have a significant effect – but it’s not on public health, it’s on economic stability and livelihoods. In short: they are causing more harm than good.”

IATA Deputy Director General Conrad Clifford said: “The research is clear that the inevitable delay in identifying new variants means that transmission already occurs by the time travel restrictions are imposed. It’s the classic case of closing the stable door after the horse has bolted. Keeping testing in place for vaccinated passengers therefore seems completely ineffective from the health point of view, but damages passenger confidence and national economies. This latest research should give governments confidence to implement the EU recommendation in full, enabling Europe to get moving again.”

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