The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently released a recommendation that countries consider recommending passengers wear masks on long-haul flights. This is in response to the rapid spread of the latest Omicron subvariant of COVID-19 in the United States and the detection of the XBB.1.5 subvariant in small but growing numbers in Europe. The XBB.1.5 variant is the most transmissible Omicron subvariant detected so far and accounts for 27.6% of COVID-19 cases in the United States.
The WHO's senior emergency officer for Europe, Catherine Smallwood, suggested that passengers should be advised to wear masks in high-risk settings such as long-haul flights, and that travel measures should be implemented in a non-discriminatory manner. Additionally, the WHO is aware of the case-definition of what counts as a COVID-19 death in China, and that it may not be the same as the WHO's recommended definition. As a result, many countries, including the United States, are demanding COVID tests from travelers from China.
The WHO is urging countries to take measures to protect passengers during long-haul flights, in order to help mitigate the spread of the virus. It is unclear if the XBB.1.5 variant will cause its own wave of global infections, but experts from the WHO are urging caution and care.
In summary, the WHO has recommended that countries consider recommending passengers wear masks on long-haul flights, to help reduce the spread of the virus. It is unclear if the XBB.1.5 variant will cause its own wave of global infections, but for now, the WHO has urged countries to implement non-discriminatory travel measures to help protect passengers.