IATA chief says Covid-19 test data support easing of travel curbs
"These data tell us we can do better," IATA Director General Willie Walsh said, citing a 2.2% positive rate among 365,895 tests carried out in February-May, according to Britain's National Health Service
FILE PHOTO: The International Air Transport Association (IATA) logo is seen at the International Tourism Trade Fair ITB in Berlin, Germany, March 7, 2018. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch
Global airline body IATA stepped up its pressure on governments to ease travel restrictions on Wednesday, pointing to UK testing data that showed low incidence of Covid-19 in arriving passengers.
"These data tell us we can do better," IATA Director General Willie Walsh said, citing a 2.2% positive rate among 365,895 tests carried out in February-May, according to Britain's National Health Service.
"Universal restrictions on people are no longer needed," Walsh added.
Excluding passengers arriving from countries on Britain's higher-risk red list, the positive rate fell to 1.46%, according to the data cited by the International Air Transport Association.
