IATA calls on governments to remove all travel restrictions for fully vaccinated

The IATA called on governments around the world to remove all travel barriers for fully vaccinated travellers, calling current travel restrictions "a mess." The airline group released a statement urging governments to accelerate relaxation of travel restrictions "as COVID-19 continues to evolve from the pandemic to endemic stage." "With the experience of the Omicron variant, there is mounting scientific evidence and opinion opposing the targeting of travellers with restrictions and country bans to control the spread of COVID-19. The measures have not worked," IATA's DG Willie Walsh said Tuesday. "The billions spent testing travellers would be far more effective if allocated to vaccine distribution or strengthening health care systems." IATA said governments should remove all travel barriers – including mandatory quarantine and testing rules – for fully vaccinated travellers, as well allow unvaccinated travellers to bypass quarantine if they provide a negative pre-departure antigen test result. The organization argued the easing of travel restrictions should be accelerated "in recognition that travellers pose no greater risk for COVID-19 spread than already exists in the general population." "The current situation of travel restrictions is a mess," Walsh said. "There is one problem—COVID-19. But there seem to be more unique solutions to managing travel and COVID-19 than there are countries to travel to." <br/>