– Due to the corona wave in China, several countries have tightened the rules for entering the country, sometimes very significantly. Germany is not among them. Not even the EU has yet agreed on a uniform approach.
In view of the massive surge of corona infections in China, more and more countries are ordering tests for people entering China from the People’s Republic, the federal government is waiting.
“The following still applies: We are monitoring the situation closely and coordinating with our international partners,” the Federal Ministry of Health said when asked. Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) on Friday considered tightening entry rules for Germany “not yet necessary” but announced close “monitoring of variants” at European airports. Bavaria has called on the federal government to coordinate promptly with states on possible requirements for travelers from China.
The ADV airport association has spoken out in favor of common rules in the EU. They are calling for a coordinated approach within EU member states and, if necessary, mandatory testing at the airport of departure, ADV director general Ralph Beisel said.
EU countries should review the measures
The European Union had not yet decided on a common line during the consultations on the corona wave in China on Thursday. European Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides has only called on states to review their national measures to monitor the virus and restart them if necessary. Further action within the EU is likely to be discussed at a crisis meeting next week.
France, England, Italy, Spain, the USA, India and South Korea have already introduced or promised restrictions on travelers from China in recent days, such as the presentation of negative corona tests when entering or leaving China. In France and South Korea, PCR tests will also be mandatory after arrival. Australia and Canada also tightened the rules over the weekend. From January 5, both countries will require people arriving from China, Hong Kong or Macau to have a negative test that is no more than two days old.
Morocco goes one step further: according to the Foreign Ministry, from next Tuesday there will be an entry ban for people of all nationalities arriving from the People’s Republic. Morocco had already issued entry bans and strict requirements for tourists in the past in the wake of the pandemic.
Fear of new corona variants
After nearly three years of extremely strict precautions, the Chinese leadership abruptly announced an end to its controversial 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 which would then find their way to other countries.
In a meeting with representatives of Chinese health authorities on Friday, the World Health Organization (WHO) called for more detailed and faster status reports on the infection process in the People’s Republic.
