Omicron threat highlights divergent pandemic responses in Asia-Pacific

The emergence of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 has caused many Asia-Pacific countries to adjust their border settings, and if they go further down this path in coming weeks it could derail promising signs of recovery in the airline and travel industries.

The Omicron wave once again illustrates the problem of different countries taking widely varying actions, and in some countries there are differences even between states, or between state and central governments. This patchwork of requirements and restrictions risks creating confusion for travelers and airlines. The update below outlines how some key Asia-Pacific markets – India, Japan, Australia and Singapore – have reacted to the latest COVID-19 development.