Concern about new corona variants after the outbreak in China: more and more countries with entry restrictions

Created: 12/31/2022 10:34 am

By: Kathrin Reikowski

Corona in China: More and more countries are introducing entry restrictions for travelers from China © IMAGO/Miguel Candela

The corona virus is currently spreading rapidly in China after two years of zero-Covid policy.

How fast nobody knows - the WHO is demanding consequences from China.

Beijing (China) - The coronavirus has unleashed an unprecedented wave of infections in China since the zero-Covid policy was declared over on December 7.

According to officially unconfirmed internal estimates, 248 million people were infected in the first three weeks of December alone, which would correspond to 18 percent of the population.

Scientists warn that the corona wave could produce new variants that would then find their way to other countries.

At a meeting with representatives of Chinese health authorities, the World Health Organization (WHO) requested more data on the course of the current wave of corona infections in the People's Republic.

During the exchange on Friday, the UN special organization based in Geneva said it was repeatedly asked to collect detailed data in real time and share it with the WHO.

Corona outbreak in China: WHO calls for data to sequence positively tested cases

Among other things, this involves information on the genetic sequencing of cases that have tested positive in order to get a better overview of virus variants that are circulating, as well as numbers on patients in hospitals and intensive care units, deaths and vaccination rates.

The WHO declared its willingness to provide intensive support to the Chinese authorities in the fight against the wave of infections - and conversely called on Chinese scientists to exchange ideas more closely with international colleagues.

It also reiterated the importance of closely "monitoring the situation and releasing data in a timely manner to help China and the world community make appropriate risk assessments and take effective measures."

Corona in China: Entry controls in the USA, India, Italy, France and England

Italy, the USA, India and South Korea had already introduced or announced restrictions on travelers from China.

The governments in Paris and London also reacted on Friday: Before departing from China for France, travelers must show a negative corona test that is no more than 48 hours old from January 1st, as Health Minister François Braun announced.

Masks are compulsory on the flight to France, and a PCR test is carried out on arrival.

All positive samples should be systematically analyzed for epidemiological surveillance.

According to a statement from the British government, the new corona test requirement for travelers from China in the United Kingdom will initially only apply to England, from January 5th.

From January 8th, passengers would also be tested on arrival in England.

Although there are no direct flights from China to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, the government says it is working to ensure the measure is implemented across the UK as soon as possible.

Spain's Health Minister Carolina Darias also announced on Friday that travelers from the People's Republic would have to present a corona test upon entry or prove that they had been fully vaccinated.

From when was initially unclear.

Corona in China: Lauterbach considers entry restrictions to be “not yet necessary”

The European Union called on states to review their national measures to monitor the virus and, if necessary, to ramp them up again.

Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) recently considered tightening the entry rules for Germany “not yet necessary”, but announced close “variant monitoring” at European airports.

A coordinated, Europe-wide solution is important.

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"We need very precise variant monitoring because we cannot reliably call up this variant monitoring from China," said Lauterbach.

"Here, the targeted review of individual aircraft, for example, could play a role, which is being prepared." But there is no reason for "antigen tests on a routine basis".

It is likely that further action within the EU will be discussed at a crisis meeting next week.

(dpa/kat)