Australian governments have been criticised for being slower than other nations to respond to the Omicron COVID variant.

NSW border checks have been relaxed since November 1, surprising 2GB listener Glenda, who on Friday night returned to Sydney from travels around Europe.

“I was shocked to find there were very few checks to enter NSW … it was a bit like entering a pub, not a country,” she wrote.

“Are we asleep at the wheel?” Glenda asked.

Ben Fordham, however, took aim at the World Health Organisation’s 20-day delay in raising the alarm about Omicron.

The response is reminiscent of their slowness to act while “cuddling up to China” in late 2019, he said.

“Three weeks is a lifetime in a pandemic, and the WHO is a waste of space.

“But let’s not lose our heads here: the panic merchants will be coming out of the woodwork, but let’s focus on facts.”

Press PLAY below to hear Ben’s comments on the response to Omicron

Image: Getty