CAA notifies fresh travel advisory as COVID variant Omicron triggers global alarm

Karachi: The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) on Sunday has issued a new travel advisory for Category-C countries after the emergence of a new COVID variant 'Omicron', enlisting 17 countries including South Africa.

According to the notification, CAA has enlisted 17 countries in the fresh travel advisory, including six southern African countries, namely South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique, Botswana, and Namibia, as well as Hong Kong.

The CAA notified that the passengers traveling from the category-c countries would require permission from the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) and compulsorily provide evidence of full Covid-19 vaccination.

Pakistani citizens in the category-c countries can return home until December 05 without formal permission.

According to the travel advisory, a negative PCR test report, conducted 72 hours before travel, will be compulsory. Moreover, testing and quarantine rules will be applicable to the passengers on arrival to Pakistan.

Earlier, the NCOC chief Asad Umar had announced a travel ban on seven countries after the emergence of a new COVID variant, Omicron.

The United States has also announced to restrict travel from South Africa – where the new mutation was discovered – and neighboring countries, effective from Monday.

Canada followed the suit and announced the closure of its borders to those countries banned by Britain, the European Union, and others.

The discovery of a new coronavirus variant has triggered global alarm with a number of countries suspending travel from South Africa.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) in a statement said it was designating the variant, named omicron, as being “of concern”, a label only given to four variants to date.