'Not yet safe to restart': WHO cautions against international travel

All authorised Covid-19 vaccines are effective against the variants of novel coronavirus known so far, including the one which fuelled the second wave of the pandemic in India, the Europe Director of the World Health Organization said on Thursday.

‘All COVID-19 virus variants that have emerged so far do respond to the available, approved vaccines,’ Dr Hans Kluge said, adding that all COVID-19 variants can be controlled with the same public health and social measures used until now. Doctor Kluge, however, cautioned that progress against the coronavirus pandemic remains “fragile” and international travel should be avoided.

‘Rethink or avoid international travel right now in the face of a continued threat and new uncertainty’, Kluge said and urged people to continue to exercise caution.