The European Union (EU) he “strongly” recommended requesting negative COVID-19 tests to all travelers from China arriving in the Community territory, in response to the increase in infections in the Asian giant.
“Member States are strongly recommended to introduce, for all passengers from China (…) the requirement of a negative COVID-19 test performed no more than 48 hours before departure” of the Asian country, the Integrated Political Crisis Response (IPCR) group said in a statement after the meeting held this Wednesday.
At this meeting, which is attended by the countries of the bloc, the community institutions and other experts, the EU agreed “a coordinated precautionary approach”in light of the spread of the coronavirus in China and taking into account “the need for sufficient and reliable data and the easing of travel restrictions” by the Asian country as of January 8.
“�� LAST MINUTE | The European Union has already reached an agreement on the measures that the 27 must impose on passengers from China
▪️ They recommend a negative COVID-19 test done no more than 48 hours before, something Spain has already implemented
�� https://t.co/H5lS9y6LOI pic.twitter.com/DS53QroScS“
— 24 hours RNE (@24horas_rne) January 4, 2023
The IPCR has also recommended that all passengers on flights to or from China wear masksthat EU governments introduce random testing of passengers from China and so on analyze and sequence wastewater at airports with international flights and planes from China.
Spain requires the COVID certificate at the origin
This Tuesday, the vast majority of member states They have already bet on the COVID-19 test request to all travelers from China, even before leaving the country in response to the increase in infections in the Asian giant.
In recent days, countries such as Italy, France, the United States, India, the United Kingdom, Australia or Japan, among others, have announced restrictions and PCR tests on travelers from China, and Morocco has even banned entry into the country. For its part, China called the restrictions “disproportionate” and “unacceptable”.
Spain, for its part, The health check is already underway for travelers from China, who will henceforth need to present their COVID-19 certificate at both the origin and destination airports. This certificate must state complete vaccination against the coronavirus, or a negative result from a diagnostic test.
In the first place, it will be the transport operator who will verify that this certificate is available at the time of embarkation, while at the arrival border post it will be the health agents who will carry out the verification, as published this Wednesday by the Official Journal of the State ( BOE). This restriction will be in effect until next February 15th.
China shares data with WHO
On the same Wednesday, the World Health Organization reported that Chinese health officials had finally presented data on COVID-19 cases to the organization’s expert panel, especially genome sequencing, and stressed that for now did not identify viral mutations in them.
At the meeting, held this Tuesday after WHO’s numerous requests to China to share more information on the current explosion of cases in the Asian giant, data on collected more than 2,000 positive genomes and sequenced since December 1, 2022.
China plans to ease travel restrictions on Jan. 8despite the wave of new infections that has swept through Chinese hospitals and funeral homes.
