Change approach to fight virus

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Stop policy of isolation, end ‘travel restrictions

KUWAIT CITY, June 17: The Kuwait Tourism and Travel Agencies Association (KTTAA) has called on the concerned authorities which are leading the fight to confront the spread of the coronavirus to change the policy of “isolating Kuwait from the rest of the world” by changing its approach to fight the virus, reports Al-Anba daily. In a press statement, the association said the authorities took measures and slapped travel restrictions at the beginning of the Corona pandemic, which was a welcome sign but lamented this approach which continues this day – two years after the pandemic. The association said the authorities since the start of the pandemic put in place strict measures due to the fact that the virus was new and unknown and the measures were welcomed, but after nearly two years, the visions have become clear, and the mechanisms to contain and deal with the pandemic and its mutants are well-known now all over the world. The globally unique strategy which Kuwait has adopted can be described as an ‘isolationist policy’ from the rest of the world, and does not pay attention to the repercussions the strategy has on the national economy because the authorities resort to irrational closure policies without any innovative solutions to overcome the crisis.

The association stressed it is becoming increasingly unacceptable the restrictions imposed on air traffic because no scientific protocol is visible to confront the pandemic especially since the procedures allow only the Kuwaitis to travel and return but the same facility is not given to the residents which suggests that the virus will infect only the expatriates and not the citizens. Despite the strict measures, the Delta variant seeped into the country, so does this mean that Kuwait will shut forever shut the door in the face of the rest of the world, wonders the association. The association stressed the situation has become unacceptable since the health authorities continue to restrict the movement of travelers, especially residents whose movements have been restricted making them unable to travel for nearly two years.

The KTTAA stressed the need to renounce the policy of exaggeration in dealing with the spread of the virus, especially with the existence of studies that prove the effectiveness of the vaccine in facing the spread of the Delta variant, indicating at the same time that there are indications of the stability of the situation in Kuwait and called for lifting restrictions on movement at the airport and raising the percentage of movement in the airport so that operation will exceed 50 percent.

The KTTAA requesting to lift the travel restrictions, at the global level Kuwait is ranked 28th in terms of vaccinating the population; the percentage of those who are vaccinated in Kuwait has reached 70% and the figure increases every day; the vaccination rates converge with the European countries and the European Union has began to ease procedures and effectively opened its ports and lastly Kuwait applies strict health requirements upon arrivals, which makes the entry process for travelers tight and there is no need to worry.

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