Spain and South Korea announce controls. In Austria, no mandatory testing is currently planned.
In view of the current wave of corona infections in China, other countries are tightening their controls for people entering China. Spain, France, Britain and South Korea also announced testing requirements on Friday. German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach currently considers this “not yet necessary” and, according to the Health Ministry, no mandatory testing is planned in Austria either.
After nearly three years of strict precautions, China’s leadership abruptly announced the end of its zero corona policy on December 7. According to officially unconfirmed internal estimates, 248 million people, or 18% of the population, were infected in the first three weeks of December alone. Scientists warn that the corona wave could produce new variants that would then reach other countries.
The EU discussed this on Thursday. EU Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides urged states to review their national surveillance measures for the virus and, if necessary, step them up again. A crisis meeting is due to take place next week.
Lauterbach also sees a coordinated solution across Europe as important. “We need very precise ‘variant monitoring’ because we cannot reliably call this variant monitoring from China,” the German minister said. “Targeted review of individual flight sequences, for example, could also play a role here, which is being prepared.” But there is no reason for “routine antigen testing”.
Italy, the United States and India have already introduced or announced restrictions on travelers to China. Spanish Health Minister Carolina Darias also announced on Friday that travelers from the People’s Republic would have to present a corona test or proof of full vaccination upon entry. From when was initially unclear. In France, in addition to the obligation to present a negative corona test upon entry, random tests will be carried out on arrivals from China, the Paris government announced on Friday night. According to British media, the London government has also decided to introduce mandatory corona tests for travelers to China.
In South Korea, starting Monday, all people arriving from the neighboring country must undergo a PCR test within one day of entering the country. Also, starting next Thursday, everyone who wants to enter China from China must submit a negative corona test.
As of Friday, Japan required all travelers from China to be tested for Corona upon entry. If the test is positive, those affected must isolate themselves in special accommodations for seven days. Direct flights from China will be restricted to four Japanese airports, including Narita and Haneda, near Tokyo.
World Health Organization (WHO) head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus showed understanding for countries’ actions because “comprehensive information from China” was lacking.
on
~
(APA)