“The current peak of Covid in China is not expected to have a significant impact on Europe.” According to the World Health Organization (WHO)
With regard to the progress of the Covid-19 epidemic in China, there is “scientifically no immediate danger for Europe”, since the identified sub-variants “are already circulating in the EU”, said Hans Henri Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, at the first press conference organized in 2023 to take stock of the epidemiological situation in the European region. “According to the information available to the WHO – he added – the variants of the Sars-CoV-2 virus circulating in China are those that have already been seen in Europe and elsewhere.”
Kruge pointed out that the WHO shares the analysis of the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), “according to which the current wave in China is not currently having a significant impact on the epidemiological situation of Covid-19 in the European WHO is to be reckoned with Region. But we cannot be satisfied.” The WHO manager then underlined this “while acknowledging that China has done so
Sharing information on virus sequencing, we need detailed and regular information, especially on local epidemiology and variants, to better assess the evolving situation.”
China recorded more than 250,000 international arrivals on Sunday, the first day of reopening its borders after abandoning the most restrictive “zero tolerance” policy towards Covid. According to the official Xinhua news agency, citing customs data, the number, well below pre-pandemic flows, was 251,045 arriving passengers, to be precise. However, in the first quarter of 2019, the daily average was around 945,300 arrivals, according to statistics from the National Immigration Service.
On the other hand, Beijing has clearly admitted for the first time that there are “differing opinions” about the draconian “zero Covid” policy, as part of an approach that has been changing for some time: It was People’s Daily, the voice of the Communist Party, which reported on the series of anti-pandemic strategy meetings and challenged the narrative that Beijing was unwilling to change its “people’s war” against the virus.
The newspaper’s website published a more than 9,000-word article explaining the policy discussions surrounding Covid-19 and giving an account of the consultations leaders held with medical experts ahead of the December 7 policy change and the measures taken afterwards. An admission that came amid growing discontent as the Omicron variant hit the populace in an unprecedented way amid allegations of drug shortages and pressure on hospitals and crematoria. The article reported on a series of meetings held before the policy change, including consultations with an expert panel on November 30 and December 1 hosted by Deputy Premier Sun Chunlan.
When asked about the restrictions some countries, including Italy, have on travelers from China who have to take a double swab: one before departure and one on arrival, Kluge said “It is not unreasonable for countries to take precautionary measures to protect theirs Populations while awaiting more detailed information from China to be shared via publicly available databases. For those countries in our region that are currently implementing such precautionary travel measures, we ask that they be science-based, proportionate and non-discriminatory.”
Regarding the epidemiological situation in Europe, Kluge said that “recent data from some countries are beginning to indicate the growing presence of the recombinant variant XBB.1.5 (ed. called Kraken), which is already spreading rapidly in the US. The cases of XBB.1.5. They are being detected in small but increasing numbers in our region and we are working to assess their potential impact.and then calls on all countries to step up genomic surveillance of the virus to prevent the risk of new variants.