*The World Health Organisation officials disclose the recommended safety measure is to counter the latest XBB.1.5 sub-variant of COVID-19 as the virus rapidly spreads in the United States

Isola Moses | 绿帽献妻

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has advised that countries world over should consider recommending that passengers wear facemasks on long haul flights.

绿帽献妻 reports WHO, at a press conference Tuesday, January 10, 2023, in Europe, said that the recommended measure was to counter the latest Omicron sub-variant of COVID-19 in view of its rapid spread in the United States (US).

According to WHO officials, the XBB.1.5 sub-variant is being detected in small but growing numbers.

Catherine Smallwood, Senior Emergency Officer for Europe, also advised passengers should be recommended to wear masks in high-risk settings, such as long-haul flights.

Smallwood stated: 鈥淭his should be a recommendation issued to passengers arriving from anywhere where there is widespread COVID-19 transmission.鈥欌��

US health officials said that the XBB.1.5 sub-variant, the most transmissible Omicron sub-variant that had been detected so far accounted for 27.6 percent of COVID-19 cases in the American country for the week ending January 7 this year.

However, health experts said it remains unclear if XBB.1.5 again, would cause its own wave of Coronavirus infections around the world.

The WHO Senior Emergency Officer further said the current vaccines continue to protect against severe symptoms, hospitalisation and death.

Smallwoood noted that 鈥渃ountries need to look at the evidence base for pre-departure testing鈥�.

According to her, it is crucial to not be 鈥渂lindsided鈥� by an exclusive focus on a particular geographic area.

She noted if travel measures are considered, 鈥渙ur opinion is that travel measures should be implemented in a non-discriminatory manner.鈥�

It did not mean the United Nations health agency recommends the testing of passengers coming from the US at this stage, said she.

It is advised that measures that can be taken, including genomic surveillance, and targeting passengers arriving from other countries as long as it not diverts resources away from the domestic surveillance systems.

Other examples include wastewater monitoring systems that can look at wastewater around points of entry such as airports.

About XBB.1.5 sub-variant

XBB.1.5 is yet another descendant of Omicron, the most contagious variant of the virus causing COVID-19 that is now globally dominant, according to report.

It is an offshoot of XBB, first detected October 2022, which is itself a recombinant of two other Omicron sub-variants, report noted.

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