The
International Civil Aviation Organization has said that vaccination should not
be a prerequisite for international travel.
The
aviation body’s Council Aviation Recovery Taskforce (CART) made the recommendation
on Friday as it updated its guidelines relating to the pandemic.
ICAO council president Salvatore Sciacchitano said, “Following
the emergence of new virus variants, the vaccine rollouts, and other
innovations to battle Covid-19, the work of CART has targeted specific issues
related to testing and vaccination of passengers as part of a state’s
multilayer risk management strategy with the ultimate objective of restoring
public confidence in air travel and getting passengers to fly again.
“The Council
has also taken into account the latest position of the WHO, which specifies
that proof of Covid-19 vaccination should not be made a condition for international
travel,” he said.
However, ICAO added that if evidence emerges that vaccinated persons do not transmit the virus
or would present a reduced risk of transmitting the virus, states may exempt
such individuals from testing and/or quarantine measures.
In early March, IATA also said that vaccination should not be a requirement.