The World Health Organization criticized governments for the raft of travel bans on southern African nations and urged others not to follow.
WHO’s regional director for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti, called on countries to avoid knee-jerk travel restrictions and instead follow science and international health regulations.
"Travel restrictions may play a role in slightly reducing the spread of Covid-19 but place a heavy burden on lives and livelihoods," Moeti said.
"If restrictions are implemented, they should not be unnecessarily invasive or intrusive, and should be scientifically based, according to the International Health Regulations."
Since the discovery of the new variant, cases of Omicron have been identified in multiple countries around the world since the weekend.
As well as bans on travel from southern Africa, some countries like Israel and Japan have shut down borders to all foreign citizens.
WHO is calling for a ‘risk-based and scientific approach and put in place measures which can limit its possible spread.’
