WHO recommends people 60 and over postpone travel, citing omicron concerns

PITTSBURGH — On Tuesday, the World Health Organization announced a new recommendation that people 60 years and older and those with risk of serious illness or death from COVID-19 delay their travel plans.

This comes as a new variant of COVID-19, omicron (first detected in South Africa), emerges less than a month from Christmas, when many families plan to travel or be together, and just weeks from the busiest travel week of the year.

Local travel agent Mollie Fitzgerald said it’s been a rollercoaster of restrictions and recommendations on top of an already hurting travel industry.

She also said that with Christmas and New Year’s being the most sought-after week of the year for travel, it has some of the strictest cancellation policies attached to it. Those polices come with a price tag.

Fitzgerald pointed out that this new recommendation could affect staff members who are 60 or older, which would further add to staffing shortages.

US to restrict travel from southern African countries (NCD)