Following the recent spike in the Omicron variant, many countries have introduced new levels of restrictions in order to try and curb its spread. This has encouraged the UK government to reintroduce a travel red list.
Among the countries listed is Nigeria. Travellers arriving from Nigeria will have to isolate on arrival to the UK. They are required to enter a hotel quarantine for ten days at their own, personal expense. The hotel bills can total £2,280.
Despite government minister Kit Malthouse condemning the wording ‘travel Apartheid’ as unfortunate, Nigeria’s high commissioner Sarafa Tunji Isola has insisted it reflects a selective approach to isolation not a global response.
Currently, all nations on the travel red list are African countries with the only individuals being allowed to enter from these destinations being British and Irish nationals. This decision reflects the investigation into the arrival of the Omicron variant into the UK. The current cases reported in England have clear links to overseas travel to South Africa and Nigeria. The UK’s decision to add Nigeria to its travel red list shortly follows the decision of Canada to impose similar restrictions to those who have recently visited Nigeria.
However, Nigeria has one of the lowest, reported cases of COVID-19 and has effectively enforced all of the pandemic protocols required by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The Nigerian government, who has ridiculed the decision as ‘discriminatory’, has called on the UK to immediately review its decision.
WHO has stated that they do not believe travel bans will prevent the spread of this new variant. Instead they have expressed concern that it could encourage countries to falsify data of the spread of the Omicron variant within their own populations.
There is on going discussion to determine whether these travel restrictions should be lifted. Currently, the most sort after result would require travellers to complete necessary PCR tests, showing negative results, in order to board flights and travel internationally.
