United Kingdom is expected to clear all 11 countries on its red list – which was designed to mitigate rising COVID infections- in order to ease travel restrictions. These countries include South Africa, Zimbabwe, Eswatini, Malawi, Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, Nigeria, Zambia, Namibia and Lesotho.

The British government put the red list back into force in November after COVID-19’s Omicron variant was first detected in South Africa. The move was reportedly a precautionary measure.

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Travellers from countries that have been on the United Kingdom’s red list have witnessed some of the toughest restrictions. According to reports from BBC, all arrivals are directed to self-isolate in a hotel, which has been pre-booked and approved by the government. The stay, which is supposed to be 10 days long, is paid for by the passenger.

Additionally, travellers are also required to take COVID tests not more than 48 hours before their departure and a subsequent test two days after their arrival.

On the onset of Omicron’s spread across the globe, United Nations chief is accused countries that have restricted air travel from some African nations because of South Africa’s discovery of the COVID-19 omicron variant of “travel apartheid.”

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, last month, urged countries that have imposed travel restrictions to adopt testing measures instead, saying pre-departure and post-arrival tests have allowed thousands of people to fly in conditions where the transmission of COVID-19 is “highly unlikely”, according to reports from Associated Press.

Also Read: UK faces ‘tidal wave’ of omicron cases, warns PM Boris Johnson

The United Nations chief said he was launching a very strong appeal “to common sense: We have the instruments to have safe travel. Let’s use those instruments to avoid this kind of, allow me to say, travel apartheid, which I think is unacceptable.”

A UN migration agency says the coronavirus pandemic has “radically altered” mobility around the world, projecting in a new report that the growth in the number of international migrants is likely to remain weaker as long as travel and other restrictions remain.