World Health Organization officials said countries should consider recommending that passengers wear masks on long-haul flights amid the rapid spread of the latest variant of the coronavirus.
A small number of infections with the XBB1.5 variant have been detected in Europe, WHO officials said at a press briefing.
Catherine Smallwood, the World Health Organization’s chief emergency officer for Europe, said that travelers should be advised to wear masks in high-risk areas such as long flights, adding that “this should be the recommendation for travelers arriving from anywhere with Covid-19.” The disease is widespread.” “.
Omicron’s most infectious variant, the XBB1.5 variant strain, caused 27.6 percent of infections in the United States in the week ending Jan. 7, health officials said.
It is not yet clear whether the new variant will cause new global infections. Experts say current vaccines still protect against severe symptoms, hospitalization and death.
On Tuesday, the European Union’s Aviation Safety Agency and the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control issued recommendations for flights between China and the European Union, including “non-drug measures such as wearing masks and screening passengers to limit the spread of the virus.” , as well as monitoring wastewater as an early warning tool to detect new variants.
