The Inhlangano Yezindiza Yezindiza Yomhlaba Wonke (IATA), ngokubambisana ne-Airlines for America (A4A) kanye nama-28 US kanye namaqembu ezindiza zamazwe ngamazwe nezokuvakasha nezokuvakasha, banxuse US uhulumeni ukuthi asuse imfuneko yokuhlola ngaphambi kokuhamba kwabahamba ngendiza abagonywe ngokugcwele abandizela e- US.

Isibalo sabahambi abagonyiwe asingezi izingozi ezengeziwe kwasekhaya US inani labantu. Ukwenyuka kwamazinga okugomela, ukwanda kwe-COVID-19 kuwo wonke angama-50 US ithi, amazinga akhuphukayo okugoma kanye nemithi emisha yokwelapha, konke kukhomba ekususeni imfuneko yokuhlola kubahambi abagonywe ngokugcwele.

“Isipiliyoni se I-Omicron ukubeke kwacaca ukuthi imikhawulo yokuhamba ayinawo umthelela omncane mayelana nokuvimbela ukusabalala kwayo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, njengoba I-Omicron isivele ikhona kabanzi kulo lonke elase-US, abahambi abagonywe ngokugcwele abalethi ingozi eyengeziwe kubantu bendawo. Abahambi bamazwe ngamazwe akufanele babhekane nezidingo ezengeziwe zokuhlolwa kunalokho okusetshenziswa ohambweni lwasekhaya. Eqinisweni, kulesi sigaba sobhubhane, ukuhamba kufanele kuphathwe ngendlela efanayo nokufinyelela ezinxanxatheleni zezitolo, izindawo zokudlela noma emahhovisi,” kusho uWillie Walsh, uMqondisi Jikelele we-IATA.

Bangaphezu kwezigidi ezingama-74.3 abantu - okusho okungenani ama-22% abantu US inani labantu - babe ne-COVID-19, futhi lokho cishe kuyinani eliphansi ngenxa yokutheleleka nge-asymptomatic kanye nokuhlolwa okulinganiselwe ekuqaleni kwalolu bhubhane. Uma kuhlanganiswa nenani labantu abadala eligonywe ngokugcwele elingu-74%, kusobala ukuthi i-US ithuthukisa amazinga aphezulu kakhulu okugonywa kwabantu.

Lezi zinhlangano ziphinde zaphawula ukuthi i-EU isincome ukuthi amazwe angamalungu ayo asuse imikhawulo yokuhamba ye-COVID-19 yokuhamba ngaphakathi kwe-EU, kanti i-United Kingdom imemezele ukususwa kokuhlolwa kwe-COVID-19 ngaphambi kokuhamba kwabahambi bezindiza abagonyiwe ukuthi bangene ezweni. I-UK iphethe ngokuthi izindleko kubagibeli nezinkampani zezindiza zegunya lokuhlola ngeke zisathethelelwa njengoba abukho ubufakazi bokuthi umbuso uvikele abantu ku-COVID-19.

Ucwaningo lwakamuva olwenziwe yi-Oxera kanye ne-Edge Health e-Italy, eFinland, nase-UK bonke bayasisekela isiphetho sokuthi izindlela zokuhamba zenza okuncane ukulawula ukusabalala kwe-COVID-19 lapho isivele ikhona kabanzi kubantu bendawo. Ucwaningo luthole ukuthi, uma luqalwa kusenesikhathi, imikhawulo yokuhamba ingase ibambezeleke kangcono inani eliphakeme lamagagasi amasha ngezinsuku ezimbalwa futhi yehlise inani lamacala.

Ngaphezu kwalokho, IATAinhlolovo yakamuva yabahambi bezindiza ibonise ukuthi u-62% wabaphenduli bayakweseka ukususa imfuneko yokuhlola kulabo abagonywe ngokugcwele.

“Ukususa imfuneko yokuhlola ngaphambi kokuthi uhambe kubahambi abagonywe ngokugcwele kuzokweseka kakhulu ukululama kokuhamba nokundiza endaweni. US kanye nasemhlabeni wonke ngaphandle kokwandisa ukusabalala kwe-COVID-19 nezinhlobonhlobo zayo kubantu base-US. Akusizi ngalutho ukuvala umnyango wesibaya ngemuva kokuthi ihhashi seliboshiwe,” kusho uWalsh.

LOKHO ONGAKUTHATHE KULESI SIHLOKO:

“Removing the pre-departure testing requirement for fully vaccinated travelers will greatly support the recovery of travel and aviation in the US and globally without increasing the spread of COVID-19 and its variants in the US population.
The organizations also noted that the EU has recommended that its member states remove COVID-19 travel restrictions for travel within the EU, and the United Kingdom has announced the removal of COVID-19 pre-departure testing for vaccinated air travelers to enter the country.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA), in partnership with Airlines for America (A4A) and 28 US and international aviation and travel and tourism stakeholder groups, urged the US government to remove the pre-departure testing requirement for fully vaccinated air travelers flying to the US.