First reported in southern Africa a week ago, Omicron has triggered global alarm, led to travel bans, and highlighted the disparity between massive vaccination pushes in rich nations and sparse inoculation in the developing world.
In Asia, Japan, which had already shut its borders to all newly entering foreigners, said it would expand its ban to foreigners with resident status from 10 African countries including South Africa.
Hong Kong will expand its entry ban for non-residents to three more countries, Japan, Portugal and Sweden, from Friday.
South Korean Interior and Safety Minister Jeon Hae-cheol called for tighter virus prevention measures to head off Omicron, after suspected cases entered from Nigeria.
The country has not reported any confirmed cases of the variant so far.
Global airlines are preparing for fresh volatility, analysts said, as Omicron could force them to adjust schedules and destinations at short notice and to rely more on domestic markets where possible.
“It feels a little bit like we are back to where we were a year ago and that’s not a great prospect for the industry and beyond,” Deidre Fulton, a partner at consultancy MIDAS Aviation, said at an industry webinar.
In an attempt to stave off hasty global border restrictions, the World Health Organization called on countries to apply “an evidence-informed and risk-based approach” to travel measures. Blanket travel bans will not prevent the spread, and they “place a heavy burden on lives and livelihoods”, the WHO said.
More than 50 countries were reportedly implementing travel measures aimed at potentially delaying import of Omicron as of Nov 28, the WHO added.
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