Travel Ban Won't Stop Omicron Coronavirus - Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye

Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), has kicked against the travel ban on some countries which have recorded the new Coronavirus variant, Omicron.

Countries such as Nigeria and South Africa among other Southern African countries have been placed on the travel red list of the United Kingdom and the United States.

Ten southern African countries have been added to Britain's travel red list due to fears resulting from the spread of Omicron variant.

This means stringent coronavirus testing and quarantine restrictions have been imposed on citizens from these countries who desire to travel to the UK and US.

With the UK, they will have to pay for and self-isolate in a pre-booked government-approved hotel for 10 days.

But Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye is unhappy about the travel ban.

To him, it doesn't make sense to ban the African countries questioning how effective such decision would be to prevent the spread of the virus.

He cited an instance where somebody who has contracted the virus would travel from a Western country to the UK, wondering why they should only ban African countries.

To him, it would rather make a lot of sense if every country is banned from entering another country but to single out Nigerian and South African citizens among others won't solve the issue.

''I am sure it's probably a way of giving you time to prepare but I don't it's the solution," he stressed.

He made these comments on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' programme.