U.S. to Remove Omicron-Related Travel Restrictions for Southern Africa

The U.S. will end travel bans on eight southern African nations that were imposed to mitigate the spread of the COVID Omicron variant, the White House announced on Friday.

Initially identified by scientists in South Africa, the variant has since spread globally. The World Health Organization and southern African leaders condemned the travel ban as ineffective and detrimental to local economies.

The ban, enacted on November 29, prohibited nearly all non-U.S. citizens who had recently visited South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Namibia, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe. These restrictions will be lifted on New Year’s Eve, December 31.

White House spokesperson Kevin Munoz stated on Twitter that the decision was based on recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Munoz explained that the temporary travel bans provided scientists with essential time to study the new variant and determine that current vaccines are effective in reducing its impact.

Omicron is now spreading quickly across the U.S., including among vaccinated individuals, yet the vast majority of hospitalizations are among the unvaccinated.

"The restrictions allowed us to better understand Omicron, and we have confirmed that our current vaccines are effective against it, especially with boosters," Munoz tweeted.

There is still much to learn about the Omicron variant; scientists indicate that it spreads more easily than previous strains, including Delta. Government data reveals that 73 percent of new infections across the country are attributed to Omicron. While breakthrough infections in vaccinated individuals have become frequent, they rarely result in severe illness or hospitalization.

The swift rise of Omicron, coupled with more people congregating indoors during the winter months, has triggered a significant surge in infections. According to data from Johns Hopkins University, the seven-day rolling average of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. has surpassed 160,000 this week, more than double the average recorded in late November.

Although the rapid spread of the new variant has not yet overwhelmed most domestic hospital systems, it has disrupted businesses, sports leagues, and holiday travel plans nationwide. Several NBA and NFL games have been postponed due to COVID outbreaks, and the Hawai‘i Bowl set for Friday was canceled after Hawai‘i had to withdraw. Additionally, three major airlines canceled numerous domestic and international flights, citing staffing shortages.