European countries are latest travel requirements from China after Beijing lifted Covid restrictions.
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European nations on Wednesday really useful latest restrictions on travelers from China amid concerns about a rise in Covid-19 cases.
Passengers departing from China will likely need to present a negative Covid test before leaving the country if they’ll one in every of the 27 EU countries. They may even likely be asked to wear face masks on flights and potentially undergo random testing upon arrival.
“Member states have agreed on a coordinated preventive approach in light of the event of Covid-19 in China,” reads a press release issued on Wednesday after a gathering of EU officials lasting several hours.
Health policy falls under the jurisdiction of individual governments. It is as much as the several capitals to follow the EU recommendations. Several EU countries have already stepped up protection measures against potential latest cases from China. Germany confirmed on Thursday that it will request at the least a rapid coronavirus test from Chinese visitors, in keeping with Reuters.
Officials in China have criticized recently imposed testing requirements on travelers from the country and threatened reciprocal countermeasures. China currently requires foreign visitors to present a negative Covid-19 test before entering the country, and to self-quarantine for eight days upon arrival. Beijing is aiming to lift the isolation requirement this coming weekend, but will still demand proof of a negative Covid-19 test from overseas visitors. In December, he also announced the resumption of issuing visas for residents to travel abroad.
The US, India, UK, Japan and Australia have announced stricter measures against travelers from China to stop a rise in Covid-19 cases.
Italy was one in every of the primary EU countries to act within the wake of Beijing’s abrupt abandonment of the strict measures that had been in place for much of the pandemic.
Rome, one in every of the countries most affected by the pandemic in Europe, ordered mandatory testing last week. France and Spain also took the same position.
The latest move by the European Commission, the EU’s executive body, goals to coordinate laws across the region.
In late December, Chinese authorities announced that they’d resume issuing visas to residents to travel abroad. They also said that travelers arriving in China will now not have to be quarantined.
However, China has experienced a rise in Covid infections since November and there are concerns about vaccination levels amongst its population. According to Reuters, the country has nine domestically developed vaccines, but they’ve not been updated for the omicron variant, believed to be highly infectious.
According to a spokesperson for the European Commission, European authorities have offered to send the vaccines to China, but Beijing has yet to reply.
A Commission spokesperson told CNBC that the EU reached out through its delegation in Beijing “to supply solidarity and support, including by sharing public health expertise and donating EU vaccines tailored to variants.”
Asked on Tuesday about a suggestion from Europe to produce Covid vaccines, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning replied: “China has created the world’s largest Covid vaccine production lines with an annual production capability of greater than 7 billion doses and an annual output of greater than 5.5 billion doses that meet the needs of be sure that all individuals eligible for vaccination have access to Covid vaccines.
“The Covid situation in China is predictable and under control,” she added.
