It was a long-awaited announcement.
France has decided to impose several health measures on travelers from China,
Le Figaro
learned on Friday December 30 from government sources.
First measure put in place: all passengers from China, whether by direct flight or by a flight with a stopover, will have to present a negative test less than 48 hours, at the time of departure.
This may be a PCR test or an antigen test.
Second, wearing a mask will be mandatory on all planes from China.
These measures will take effect from the publication this weekend of a decree by Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne.
Last point, which will take effect from January 1, 2023, PCR tests will be randomly carried out on certain passengers from China.
These tests will be mandatory for randomly selected people.
“If there are
positive tests, these will be systematically sequenced
”
,
complete these government sources in order to “
identify variants of the virus
”
.
However, there is no question of
“deciding whether or not to enter”
people on French territory.
Read also“I do not intend to return immediately”: the reluctance of Chinese expatriates
France will also update its recommendations for travelers to China, recommending that they postpone non-essential travel.
Epidemic outbreak in China
This Wednesday, Emmanuel Macron had already asked his government
for "appropriate protective measures"
for the French, in the face of the resurgence of the Covid-19 epidemic in China.
Beijing is currently dealing with a gigantic epidemic outbreak linked to the release of its zero Covid strategy on December 7, raising fears of the emergence of new variants which would relaunch the pandemic in Europe.
Read alsoCovid-19: does France have an interest in imposing a test on people from China?
Also this Wednesday, epidemiologist and professor of public health at the Lille University Hospital Philippe Amouyel explained to
Le Figaro
that the decision to impose a test at the borders “
had to be taken at the level of the Schengen area
”
.
A common position necessary according to the latter, but criticized by Bruno Lina, virologist at the civil hospices of Lyon and member of the committee for monitoring and anticipating health risks (Covars).
“
The interest would remain zero because there is always the possibility of going through another non-Schengen country before arriving in France
,
”
he told
Le Figaro
on Wednesday.
The world at two speeds
And this common European position is still long overdue.
After meeting this Thursday, the European Commission, which was looking for a "
coordinated response
" decided... not to decide anything.
For the moment,
"no restriction on travel to the European Union has been decided",
summed up a spokesperson for the Commission, who assured "
remain vigilant
".
The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control has judged in particular that the countries of the European Union have “
relatively high levels of immunization and vaccination
”.
From government sources, France “
continues to plead for European measures
”.
“
France's wish
” remains to achieve “
a common European position
”
.
This Thursday, the World Health Organization (WHO) said it found the protective measures taken by other countries
"understandable"
in view of the lack of information provided by Beijing, in particular on the type of variant circulating. in China.
Read alsoMarie Holzman: “Covid will be China’s Chernobyl”
Different countries have therefore taken action on their own scale.
After Japan on Tuesday, the United States and Italy on Wednesday, Spain and Israel in turn took action on Friday.
The Spanish Minister of Health Carolina Darias notably indicated that travelers from China would be asked "
for proof that they are negative (...) or a complete vaccination schedule
".
She did not say when the measure would come into effect.
Israel for its part "
decided to order foreign airlines to accept foreign citizens on a flight from China to Israel only if they have been tested (negative) for Covid
"
.
