EU to propose daily review of travel rules to counter omicron

The European Union recommended Wednesday that member states review essential travel restrictions on a daily basis and coordinate their actions in response to the omicron variant. The daily assessment is needed to determine whether the temporary restrictions need to be applied to additional countries, as well as what kind of testing or quarantine of essential travelers is required, according to an EU official. The aim is to adapt the measures, or lift them as more evidence becomes available, the official added. A group representing the airline industry said it hoped the European Commission’s approach would counter the divergent response it’s seen so far from European governments when it comes to travel rules and the omicron variant. “We welcome the commission’s continued efforts to coordinate member states’ strategy to limit the spread of the omicron variant,” Agnes Leroux, the policy director for Airlines for Europe (A4E) said in a statement. “With further scientific updates expected in the coming days on the severity of infection linked to omicron, reviewing measures on a daily basis is a good approach in order to amend travel restrictions as needed.” EU nations have implemented restrictions on travel to southern Africa and some have added in additional testing requirements.<br/>