Both Germany and the US have eased some travel restrictions on South Africa, as global concerns around the Omicron variant continue to subside.
In a proclamation issued at the end of December, US president Joe Biden said that health officials had made substantial progress in assessing the Omicron variant since it was first discovered at the end of November.
He added that there is clear evidence that people who have been vaccinated will have significantly more protection against hospitalisation, and death.
In explaining his decision to ease restrictions, Biden said that the variant has now spread to more than 100 countries – making travel restrictions less viable – and that the US has introduced new testing rules for travellers to help make travelling safer.