The slamming shut of international borders to nine African countries is an overreaction that will prove ineffective against the omicron COVID-19 variant, according to a top adviser to the South African government, Professor Barry Schoub.

Not only are the travel bans against African countries unscientific, he says in many cases they are being used to build political capital, so governments can show their citizens that they are doing something, when what they are doing is really ineffective.