UNITED NATIONS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 30th November, 2021) The United Nations views the restrictions on the travel of citizens from southern African nations imposed by the United States and several other countries over concerns about the new coronavirus variant Omicron as a form of collective punishment, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said on Monday.
Earlier in the day, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was deeply concerned about the isolation of southern African countries due to the COVID-19 travel restrictions.
"We think there are more science�based solutions... increased testing and even if people need to go into quarantine, but blanket barring of certain citizens is a form of collective punishment in a way," Dujarric said during a press briefing.
Dujarric also noted the uncertainties expressed earlier by the World Health Organization (WHO) regarding the transmissibility of the new variant and the efficacy of vaccines against it.
"We need to be guided by science," he said.
Last week, the WHO labeled the new COVID-19 variant, first identified in South Africa, as one of concern, as it is reported to carry a high number of mutations which possibly make it more transmissible and dangerous. The WHO has dubbed it Omicron, the 15th letter of the Greek alphabet.
Cases of the new variant have already been confirmed in multiple countries, and governments, including the United States, Israel, Japan, Chile and the United Kingdom, rushed to suspend travel with southern African nations in order to prevent the spread of the new strain. - [email protected]
